The Most Beautiful Man In The World
by eeearnest
Summary: The Most Beautiful Man In the WORLD lives in my building. And every time I meet him I'm looking like a SCARY GARBAGE TROLL who came out of its cave looking for FREE WIFI AND A SLURPEE. Kakasaku. Rated M for possibilities. Might have a little SasuKarin, a little this, a little that. WARNING A COUPLE CHAPTERS GET DARK. MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING.
1. High Hopes

The Most Beautiful Man in the World

Hello! Here's to a new story! Original idea from a Tumblr post at : post/156141749940/the-most-beautiful-man-in-the-world-who-lives-in

Also if you have any hilarious mishaps you'd like for me to feduddle into the story, please go right ahead and tell me! I will do my best. This story is going to be hopefully hilarious and cute.

Original characters from Naruto, property of the good Kishimoto.

I'll rate this fic as M for now, but there won't be any sexy times for a while yet. Sorry my bebes.

 _What does the most beautiful man in the world look like?_

 _Like the way the sun spills over water at dusk._

 _Like the way food smells when you're hungry._

 _Like the sound angels make when they're doing folk covers of pop songs on their heavenly harps._

 _Kind of looks like the guy who played Mcsteamy on Grey's Anatomy, if 'McSteamy' were the most beautiful man in the world._ (Originally the post says Chad from HSM but we all know Kakashi looks more like Mark Sloan than Chad… right?)

Chapter 1 High Hopes

Sakura had just graduated college in December. It was January. She was 22 years old and about to move to Konoha Towers in Konoha. Luckily her adoptive grandmother owned the apartment complex, and she got severely discounted rent. A sort of graduation present ,she said, but they both knew it was just because she loved Sakura like her own family.

She gripped the last box off the truck against her chest as she and her parents rode the elevator up to the fifth floor, titled Jounin. Sakura thought the titles were weird, but it was Tsunade's building so she could do as she wanted. It really was quite a nice place, set up very similarly to a hotel, with balconies on every floor overlooking the inside of the building, so that you could look over and see all the way down to the lobby, and sometimes even see the doorman, Jiraiya, greeting people at the door. If you looked up there were several floors above hers as well, ending in a giant glass ceiling at the top. She was extremely grateful for the discounted rent. Anything she were to find by herself could easily have been in the 800-1000 dollars a month range, which was definitely out of her price range as she didn't have a job yet. Tsunade was letting her stay here for a measly 200 dollars a month, a steal at that price, and she didn't expect rent until Sakura found a job, a blessing.

The elevator dinged, alerting the three of them that they had arrived on the fifth floor. The doors slid open to an empty hallway lined with sconces and doors. They turned right and walked all the way to the corner apartment, #507. To anyone else it just looked like a grey door with the number 507 on it. To Sakura, it was her doorway to a new life on her own. Her mother opened the door for her as Sakura's arms were full.

"Thanks." Sakura said as she set down the last of the boxes on one of her already full chairs. _Man how I'd like to sit down…_

"Are you sure you don't want your father and I to stay and help you unpack honey?" Sakura shifted a box off of the chair next to her and shook her head.

"Nah you guys have helped me enough, you go on home before it gets too late. I'll stay and start sorting everything out."

"Alright, sweetie." Her mother said as she hugged her only daughter tightly.

"Let us know if you need anything, pumpkin." Her father said, patting her on the head and ruffling her hair like he did everyday since she was a child. No matter how many times she had told him that she had grown out of such antics, he still did it. Probably just to spite her. This time it was comforting at least. _And hopefully it will be the last time_.

"Thanks. And I will you guys, now get on home." Her parents waved as they left and shut the door behind them.

"Finally some peace and quiet. But this quiet isn't good for unpacking. Now where did I put that stereo?" Sakura sat down in the middle of the floor, since her chairs still weren't cleared off. She pulled a box toward her, it was dishes. The next box was clothing. But the next box was her electronic stuff. She pulled out the stereo headunit and placed it on the bottom shelf of the TV stand, then plugged it in. Next she untangled the speakers that went with it, and hung them around the room, connecting each to their corresponding place in the back of the headunit as she did so. Sakura dug around the bottom of the box and pulled out an auxiliary cord, and slipped her phone from her pocket. _Time for Spotify!_ She opened the app and pulled up a Frank Sinatra radio station. _Perfect. Who doesn't like oldies?_

Sakura sorted her belongings by room, getting the feel of the apartment as her new home as she went. Her parents had been helping her move all day, but it was just now that she started to feel like the place _belonged_ to her. The room you walked into was the living room, and off of it on one side was her bedroom, connected to the bathroom. On the other side was the kitchen and another bedroom. There was also a sliding closet in the kitchen containing a stacked washer and dryer. _Perfect! I never have to leave!_ Sakura thought when she first saw them. She also put her cleaning supplies in the closet and on the top shelf put her detergents and fabric softeners. For the dishes they all went to the kitchen, clothing and bedding the bedroom, and most of the other random stuff went in the spare room until she could figure out a place for it.

By the time she had unpacked the kitchen and bedroom completely and made her bed, Sakura was a sweaty mess and ready to drop. She walked out to her balcony and looked over the edge. Her own music could still be heard through the door. _Hope I wasn't disturbing anyone having my music on so late._ From the lobby a drifting quiet tune could be heard. It was the essence of serenity and Sakura wondered if a lot of people came out on their balconies at night just to sit and listen. She leaned against the railing and listened for a few minutes before turning and going back inside. _Time for bed little lady._

KAKASHI

…

 _What a long night at work,_ Kakashi thought to himself as he undressed and threw on sweats to sleep in. _And now that I'm home, I can't sleep. Maybe because SOMEONE was playing music way too loud to allow for any of that sleeping shit. I swear to god if I hear 'Under My Skin' one more time… Wait, when was the last time anyone lived below me? Has anyone?_ Kakashi got up out of bed and looked over his balcony, unreasonably thinking someone may be there. _Success._ He was taken aback. A pink-haired girl was leaning on the balcony beneath his, swaying slowly to the music that drifted up from the lobby late at night. You could still hear her music, but the stuff from the lobby was a special kind of soothing. His mind came back to the girl. Her hair was _pink_. _It couldn't possibly be natural right? Your hair isn't exactly normal either you ass. Even so… if it wassss natural… did the carpet match the drapes?_

Kakashi shook his head to derail that train of thought. _You definitely need some sleep. And maybe to get laid. You can't be thinking such lewd thoughts of every woman you see! But sleep first. Definitely sleep. First._ He laid back down in bed, the music stopping below him soon after. _Ahh…_ _if I get to sleep now I'll get… six hours, 32 minutes, 8 seconds…_

Kakashi awoke the next morning, and it was still way too soon. _I did_ _not_ _get enough sleep last night. I am TOO OLD FOR THIS SHIT._ He checked his phone, no messages. It was 7 am. He swung his legs out of bed and stretched, popping his ankes, and then his knees when he got up. He sighed. _I feel so ollllddd_. He pulled off his sweats and threw them in the laundry basket in the corner of the room. _Maybe a shower will wake me up_. Kakashi turned on the hot water and looked at himself in the mirror. _You look like shit. Practically warmed up death. You've got stubble, your hair is a joke, a natural one, but still a joke. You're 36 and still single. At least you're not a virgin._ He hopped in the shower and the seven minutes he allowed himself in the steamy bliss was all he needed to wake himself up for the day.

Kakashi wrapped a towel around his waist and lathered up his face. Shaving was easy enough, they never saw his face anyway. He felt the scar running through his left eye and flinched. Every day he wished Obito was still alive. Still his friend. _And now that he's gone you have no life. At least not much of one._ He threw on his uniform for work, a suit and tie, and to top it off, a mask hiding half his face. _If only that actually kept them at bay, even my silly hair (that makes me look 45) doesn't discourage them. Why do I even work there? Who knows. I bet your fan club would say otherwise. Shut up._ For some reason tons of girls that came to his work were there just for him. He was way out of their age range, but that didn't stop them. _None of them are the one I want. Wait. What do I want?_ The pink-haired girl from last night flashed through his mind, but he shook it off. _Not like she'd want a loser like me anyway._

He left for work, his mind wandering. For some reason the pink-haired girl wouldn't leave his thoughts alone.

SAKURA

…

Sakura woke up smiling. She had successful moved to a new place that was just hers and she was ready to start her new life. She jumped out of bed and went to the spare room.

"Time to tackle you today, boxes! Nothing can stop me now!" She declared to the random assortment of boxes cluttering the room.

"Today's an electroswing type day to me!" Sakura plugged her phone back into the stereo and changed the station. _Maybe I'll even go job searching today, once all this unpacking is done._

Even she didn't think unpacking would go that fast. Sakura was done before 1 in the afternoon. She decided to shower and then go about looking for work. She stripped and got in the shower attached to her bedroom. _What should I wear?_ After cleaning herself up, as she was caked in nasty sweat and some dust from the move, Sakura felt clean and free. The dress she wanted was in a dresser in the spare bedroom, so she walked through her bedroom to it. She stopped in the living room, too surprised to continue. There was a girl sitting on her couch. Sakura jumped back and thought of how she would defend herself should this woman decide to attack her.

"Relax, girlie. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Karin. I'm your neighbor in 508."

"So you just let yourself in!?" Sakura shrieked.

"Yeah? The door wasn't locked?" She tilted her head questioningly. _I could have sworn I locked that door…_.

"Anyway! Get dressed! We're gunna go out and about!" Sakura shook her head and continued to the spare bedroom.

"I was actually going to go around job hunting today… know of any places that are hiring?"

"Well… I know no one really _wants_ to work there, but fast food places are always hiring, and I just happen to know one where this _really_ cute guy works…" her words drifted off as Sakura got further away from her.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing. We'll go by there when you're ready."

Something about this girl had Sakura liking her more every minute, even if she was strange and probably broke into her apartment. Sakura walked back into the living room, dressed in warm leggings, a sweater dress, a scarf and a hat.

"I'm Sakura by the way, nice to meet youuu… Karin?"

"Yep! Let's be off!" She jumped up off the couch and marched to the door. Sakura locked the door after them. They were off to the local Wendy's.

…

"I thought you said it wasn't too far!" Sakura said as they passed what seemed like the hundredth shop front on their way to the place.

"It's normally not… If you take the bus."

"Oh my god. Karin!" She had them walking forever. Not that it was a horrible time exploring the new neighborhood that she'd be living in, hell she even found a few shops she made a mental note to come back to, she had just not planned on spending her entire day out with Karin.

"There on our right is one of my favorite shops. It's a bookstore on the front, right? But it has a secret in the back," Karin leaned in to Sakura's ear to whisper, "It has a butler café in the back!" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Isn't that something high schoolers do? Is that popular around here?" Karin smiled.

"Oh you have no idea. I heard one time a fan club kidnapped one of the butlers here and he actually died during it."

"Holy shit! What was his name?"

"I don't know, but look at the line around the back of the building! Does that tell you anything?"

Sakura saw a ton of women, school girl age and up, and (to her surprise), even some men lined up for the place! There was a tiny entrance they were all trying to funnel themselves through. A glimpse of silver caught her eye, but Karin pulled her along before she could get a better look.

"How old are the guys working there?"

"They're all fairly young, why?"

"I just thought I saw… eh never mind."

"There's the Wendy's!" About a block away the garish red building taunted her. It looked like it needed a bit of a tune-up but was operating fairly well for having been built like 30 years ago. The 'Old Fashioned Hamburgers' sign was still there, definitely signaling the age of the building. On its signboard below it stated 'Now Hiring 10.00 an hour'. _That's a pretty decent starting wage. I wonder what's wrong with the place that they have to offer that to keep people? Or is it just competitive wages? Hmm…_ _At least they will definitely hire you Sakura…_

KAKASHI

…

Doorman duty was his least favorite of any of the positions at his work. If you could say any of the positions were his favorite. He tended to grumble whenever no one was looking and wished for the simpler days before the café existed. When they were just a bookstore trying to stay afloat. And to make matters worse, he even saw the intriguing pink-haired girl walk past his work today. _She's even cuter out an about. .. but wait who is she with? Karin? Wait, does Karin live on the fifth floor too? Ugh I will have to ask her if she knows anything next time I see her._

It was late when Kakashi got to Konoha Towers that night.

"Hey Jiraiya." He nodded to the doorman.

"Bit late tonight, Kakashi. Need to sleep more. Want a drink?" The doorman asked from behind the bar he opened late at night for the people living in the complex. The way the landlady saw it, it was just another way to keep her tenants 'safe'. What Kakashi really thought she wanted was more money, even if he knew that wasn't true. The woman was fair on rent and was actually one of the kindest, if not also the busiest, people he knew.

"Not tonight Jiraiya. Maybe another time."

"All right man, goodnight."

"Same to you big guy."

As Kakashi exited the elevator, he wondered if he would be able to see the pink-haired lady over the balcony tonight. Approaching his room, he tapped his hand on the balcony, excited or nervously. He leaned over to see if she was there, but sadly she was not. _Ah well. Time to get some sleep Hatake._ Kakashi let himself into his apartment, trudging to his room. He stripped and fell into bed, passing out almost instantly.

SAKURA

…

While they were at Wendy's the staff handed her a pen so she could fill out the application on the spot. _Desperate much?_ Sakura thought as she sat down with Karin. She looked over the application. There was even a slot for references. _Damn… who do I put? Suppose I could put Tsunade…_

"You can put me down as a reference if you want. I don't think they even call them. They hire high schoolers and what kind of high schooler has references? Plus it's fast food, why would they care?"

 _She's probably right… And I'm a college graduate. What am I doing with my life working a job most high schoolers don't have trouble with? Ugh. Second I find something worthwhile, I'm just going to leave…._

After she finished they turned the app into the front register employee, a dark haired fellow named Sasuke. Apparently he was the one Karin liked. Sakura swore her eyes turned into hears. She was clearly infatuated.

"I'll take this to my manager, wait just a moment please."

A blonde boy looked around the end of the sandwich station and smiled at her as he pushed a bun in the toaster and went back to work. A tall man suddenly appeared in front of them, his hair extremely long and black, and his skin pale as a ceramic pot.

"Hello," he smiled, revealing strangely fang-like teeth, "I'm Orochimaru, this is Eiko," he said directing their attention to a grouchy looking woman next to him, "my assistant. When would you like to come in for an interview?"

Sakura was surprised at how forward the hiring process was. _It's like they just want more bodies!_

"Uh… tomorrow works?"

"Perfecct… sssay.. 3 PM?" His voice sounded like he'd been smoking 3 packs a day for the last 30 years mixed with a snake.

"W-works for me."

"See you then, Ssakura-chan…" He creepily smiled at her. A shiver ran down Sakura's spine. _Definitely going to leave this place the second I find something better._ She grabbed Karin's hand and pulled her drooling acquaintance out of the store with her. When they got to a bust stop about a block away, Sakura turned to Karin.

"Dude, Karin. That manager dude is a creep."

"I know, right? But Sasuke is just such a dreamboat… plus I heard there have been a few complaints about him and that he might get fired so you shouldn't have to worry too much."

Sakura shook her head. "You're so smitten. That guy gives me the chills. And by the way, have you even spoken to this guy?"

Karin eyed her. "Sure. Loads of times!"

"Beyond giving him your order." Sakura deadpanned. A small blush crossed Karin's cheeks.

"…no…" Sakura chuckled.

"Well, if I'm going to work there, you better visit often to make sure I don't get kidnapped for some creepy biotesting, okay?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, sure sure…" Her thoughts were already back on Sasuke. Sakura shook her head and sighed.

"Let's just go home, okay?" She and Karin climbed up onto the bus and paid the fare. They took two seats towards the back and sat down.

"We really should go to that butler café…"

"Another time okay?"

"Okay…"

Thanks so much for reading guys! I loved this first chapter and hope you do too! I don't know when the next ones will be out, but I'm looking at a fairly long time line for this story!

Again if you have any silly mishaps you want to happen to Sakura, let me know! Plus drama of course. We all neeeed that drama.

Love you guys thanks again for reading.

P.S.

Reviews are my life-blood.


	2. Strangers In the Night

Chapter 2

Hi everyone! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter! And guess what! I have the next one for you! The ideas just keep hitting me and I'm loving writing this story! If you have any input I'd love to hear it as a review! Thanks for reading!

Strangers in the Night

SAKURA

…

She woke up the next day, a little worried, but mostly nervous and excited. Sakura took a shower and started going through her closet. _What to wear to an interview at a fast food place? Nice but not too nice?_ She ended up going with a pair of slacks and a flowing jade colored blouse. It matched her eyes and really made her hair pop. She went with a small amount of mascara and blush for makeup, and curled her hair. _At least I'll look nice for the interview, before I come home covered in oil every night._

Sakura left the apartment and locked her door. _Maybe Karin will be up for some coffee?_ She knocked on Karin's door and was greeted by the biggest case of bedhead she'd ever seen. Worse than a ratty Victorian wig.

"Whaaat are youuu doing her." She grumbled and held up a hand, mumbling something that sounded vaguely like "Fih-minuttt". The door closed and Sakura rocked on her feet, waiting for her redheaded neighbor. _Must have had a late night._

Karin opened the door, still a little worse for wear, but her hair had been tamed and she'd put on fresh clothes.

"Are you doing okay? You look like you've had _some_ night."

"Ugh. Coffee first."

"Hungover?"

"Something like that. Headache? Definitely."

Sakura waved at the Jiraiya the doorman as they left. He smiled back at them and waved.

"Have a nice day, Haruno-san, Uzumaki-san."

"Same to you, Jiraiya!" He smiled as they left out the revolving doors. Luckily for them there was a coffee shop directly across the street from the complex. Perfect for a morning after coffee. _It's still morning right?_ They walked inside and up to the counter, where they were greeting by a wonderful lady.

"Hello! I'm Kurenai! How may I help you today?"

"I'd like a chai latte, and… anything you'd recommend for a hangover," Sakura said, looking pointedly at Karin.

"I've got you covered. Names?"

"Sakura and then Karin."

"All right ladies. That'll be 4.50." Sakura pulled out her wallet, but Karin slapped a five on the counter and grumbled, "Keep th' change," before wandering to the pickup area. Sakura smiles at Kurenai before following her neighbor. They waited there for a minute in silence.

"A chai latte for Sakura? And a snooze button special for Karin!" Sakura picked up their order and walked over the least-well-lit table in the far back of the place. She set Karin's cup down and took the opposite chair.

"Do you come here often?"

"Eh." Karin said as she took her first sip of the coffee, grimacing at its taste.

"What's in that stuff?"

"Ya know? I don't really know. They say it's the best for a hangover though, and I don't like to ask questions I don't care to know the answer to."

"Fair enough." They sipped their coffee in silence, enjoying the ambience of the coffeehouse.

"Wanna talk?" Sakura broke in.

"Eh. Not much to say."

"What do you mean? You look like crap. Surely there's more to it than that."

"Not really. My work just gets a little… intense."

"What kind of work leaves you looking like this?" Karin gave her a look and gulped half of her remaining coffee.

"Look, mom, just drop it. It's nothing new, it happens all the time, and it'll be all fine by tomorrow." Her sleeve rode up as she tilted her cup back and showed Sakura several sets of bite marks on her arm. Some were new and still an angry pink, others looked like they'd occurred ages ago. Apparently her predicament had been happening for a very long time. She wanted to ask about it so badly, but knew Karin wouldn't crack so she dropped it. For now.

"So you've got an interview today."

"Yep."

"Want me to come with?"

"Sure."

…

They took the bus to Wendy's this time, only taking about five minutes to get there instead of a couple hours, like the previous day. They had some time to waste, and Karin wanted to go to the bookstore, so Sakura waited outside the store on a bench. Tons of people passed her entering the store or going to the side entrance of the café, but none she recognized. That streak of silver alerted her again but she wasn't quick enough to look up and see who it was before they went inside.

 _Damn, I missed the old dude again._ She turned and looked inside the window to try and follow them, but they were lost in the small crowd barging through the door.

Sakura pulled out her phone and messaged her parents.

[Unpacked. Everything's good. Have job interview today.]

Her mom replied quickly.

[That's great honey. Where at?]

[Wendy's. Hopefully temporary until I find something else.]

[We're incredibly proud of you no matter what you do sweetheart. We're both sure you'll get the job! Don't forget to let us know if you need anything and to check in every once in a while!]

Sakura waited around for a few more minutes and checked the time on her phone again. 2:40. _Karin, come on, what are you doing in there? I'm going to be late! I have to go!_

She tapped her feet and waited until 2:45. _She knows the way, hopefully she'll catch up later._ Sakura started to walk towards her, hopefully, new job. _And hopefully it's not the fifth circle of hell it looks like on the outside._

Sakura opened the door once she got there and a small bell rang.

"Hello and welcome to Wendy's." A less than enthusiastic voice called out from the dining room.

"Hi, I'm actually here for an interview?"

"Oh, okay. I'll get my manager." Sasuke appeared from behind a table, carrying a broom and dustpan. Sakura wasn't sure whether he was actually cleaning or just slacking off and giving himself an alibi if he got caught.

"Sorry to interrupt your cleaning." She got no response beyond a slight puff of air. Sakura waited away from the order counter, taking in the slightly outdated décor of the restaurant. _At least it's clean. At least it's clean._

"Hello? Ssakura-chan?" That creepy voice said as a cold hand toucher her shoulder.

"Hi!"

"Yess. You're here for your interview?" She nodded.

"Thiss way, please." He gestured towards one of the tables in the dining room. Which, coincidentally, was empty. _I really wish there were people in here right now. This guy gives me the heeby jeebies and it's worse because we're alone._

"Hello, Haruno-san. Have you ever worked in food service before?"

"Some, about a year in the college cafeteria."

"Perfect." His voice gave her chills as she tried her best not to look too intimidated or afraid.

"How are your time management skills?"

"I believe they are excellent."

"Okay… let's say you're in the middle of a large order for the drive through and you've just gotten started on the order and the front register needs a sandwich made. What do you do?"

"Finish what I had already started for the drive through, make the front's sandwich, and then switch back to drive through."

"Excellent answer, Sakura," Orochimaru smiled his creepy snake-like smile.

"Thank you."

"Do you have any customer service experience?"

"Yes, I worked for the University bookstore all four years I went to school."

"Great! Fantastic. I'd like to start you at 10.50/hour. Do you have any questions for me?"  
"Not really."

"All right. When can you start?"

"Hmm… today's Wednesday? I can start tomorrow."  
"Perfect." They stood up and shook hands.

"See you tomorrow around 2, Sakura-chan."

"Same to you, Orochimaru-sama."

"Just Orochimaru, Sakura-chan." She nodded and turned to leave. Thank God Karin was waiting outside.

"Dude where _were_ you!?" She looked away sheepishly.

"Sorry, I ended up being sucked in by the butler café. I swear you'd love it. You should go Sakuraaaa…."

"Nah, another day. Can't believe you found something you'd rather do than see Sasuke." Karin pouted as they walked to the bus stop.

"They were just all so cuteee!" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You're such a meanie, Sakura!"

"Yeah, well I'm the one who had to interview with that creepy guy alone!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

KAKASHI

…

 _Another day of work. At least they put me in the bookstore today. Thank God I don't have to service thousands of girls who would like nothing more than to jump my bones. Hey you should consider yourself lucky Minato-san doesn't put YOU on the menu. Oh so true. He'd make a killing, to be sure, but he'd never actually do that. He knows you're way above prostitution._ At that thought Kakashi stopped labeling a box of new books and realized… _maybe he wasn't. If I'm really that meh of a person that I'm still single at 36, maybe I should be considering whoring myself out? Nah don't be ridiculous. No one would take you!_ He sighed and went back to labeling the books. The box only had a few more copies of the latest release of some manga. Boruto? He thought. _Maybe some fresh air would do you some good._

Kakashi set the box behind his counter and turned his checkout light off.

"Shino. I'm going out for some air."

"Alright, see you in a bit." He walked out the door and around the side of the building opposite the café. _Really don't need to be mauled down today_. He squat down against eh wall and breathed deeply. _What if this is all I'm even good for? Will I be a butler my whole life? What about when I start balding? The girls would stop coming for him and he'd lose his job. Maybe I should look for something with a more solid benefits package? I know Minato-san needs all the help he can get right now, but I just don't see myself in this job forever. Maybe I'll buy a paper on the way home and look at the classifieds._

He felt a little better with himself and decided to go back inside. On his way in, he saw the pink-haired girl sitting on the bench outside his work. Waiting. _I wonder who or what she's waiting for?_ She looked occupied and only just looked up as Kakashi passed through the front door. He sighed. _Would she never see him? I'll never know the beautiful girl from the 5_ _th_ _floor._ He flipped back on his checkout light and started checking out customers.

"Hello, did you find everything okay?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you."

"Do you have a rewards card?"

"I believe it's in here somewhere…" a customer said as she threw her giant tote of a bag up on his counter. "Now just to remember where I put it…"

 _It was going to be a long day._

…

Kakashi worked at the Book Hidden in the Trees. His boss wasn't all that great with names, but their logo, a tree with a book opening in its trunk, was pretty cool. His coworkers were Genma, Gai, Kiba, Shino, Sai and a couple other part timers. Yes all of them were men. (Who else would operate a butler café in their downtime?) Kakashi preferred the bookstore side, working with Shino-san mostly, who was a bit anti-social and did not want to participate in the butler side business.

The building wasn't bad, just old. A rather large building, with several aisles and rooms. All had seating in them somewhere. The store encouraged an atmosphere where people could try out the books before they purchased them. It really helped generate interest in new series, surprisingly. In the very back of the store was an 'EMPLOYEES ONLY' door to the café. The little place itself wasn't all that small. The downstairs had room to seat about 40 people, with an upstairs that seated 20 and a VIP room. The kitchen was downstairs behind the main dining area. Genma and Gai were both also butlers but Gai stayed mostly on door duty or in the kitchen with Minato and his wife Kushina. In the 15 years he'd worked there, only one incident had happened with overzealous fans.

His best friend.

Obito.

…

Kakashi finished his shift and decided to take the bus home. His joints ached and he didn't feel like walking. He picked up that days paper from the shelf as he locked up and left for the night. _Maybe if you actually approached women, you'd have a god-damned girlfriend. This eternal bachelor-style thing you've got going on is sad. Don't you want to have a family one day?_ Kakashi sighed. _Where did that thought come from? Plus… the only one I'm interested in right now is that pink-haired girl, and I don't even know her name! How'd you lose your virginity again? You're pathetic. You're right! She's too good for me anyway. Probably already has a man and all that._

Kakashi got off the bus and walked into Konoha Tower. Jiraiya had his bar open for the night.

"Hey… Kakashi! You look like you could use a drink!" He stopped and looked up at the older doorman/bartender.

"You know what, Jiraiya, I think I'll take you up on that tonight."

"Alright! What would ya like? House special is sake!"

"I'll have two shots of that."

"Perfect. Hot or cold?"

"Cold. Definitely cold."

"You go it boss." _I'll probably regret this in the morning… but hey what's to stop me?_

SAKURA

…

It was now march. Work was going well, her first week or so was just making French fries and chicken nuggets. If she were asked to comment on it, she would have told anyone that it was boring. Fast paced, yes, but boring. Luckily, she was only stuck doing fries for the first couple of weeks. After that they started training her on sandwiches. They were all fairly simple things and she learned them with ease. Management also had her train on closing shifts and front register. It meant late nights, but Sakura didn't mind so long as she got plenty of sleep. It might not have given her much time to have a life, but she got over it quickly, a good paycheck will do that to you. She was making close to 800$ a paycheck because of how many hours they were having her work.

However, even after working there for almost three months, they still had refused to teach her how to operate the grill. Something about only teaching men the position. It was the only position she didn't know, and it was the only thing holding her back from management as well.

Orochimaru still worked there, but had been demoted severely, one more toe out of line and he was out the door. It had come out that he had been date raping the assistant managers. (Made sense why they were all women). There were other shift managers, but the main General Manager and the Assistant had always been Orochimaru and a woman. It gave Sakura an immense relief that she hadn't become manager before he'd been demoted. Once she found out she purchased a Taser and carried it with her everywhere. She and Eiko had swiftly become friends after, and only hadn't done so sooner because Orochimaru had been afraid Eiko would blab to her.

Eiko was now the GM, and while she was an intense woman, she was smart and kind. She always treated her employees fairly and was fairly flexible with everyone's lives around work. She'd come over to Sakura's apartment once or twice to drink, and while her lips had been loosened, she'd heard the truth about Orochimaru.

What he'd done to the poor woman and all who'd come before her.

 _He needed to go to prison for half the shit he did to those women._ Eiko was certain he'd killed people and had no remorse for it, and was thus not confident in going to the police about all of it, or pressing charges. Sakura constantly asked her to forget her fears and just do it for the wellbeing of all. So that women everywhere would have one less creep after them.

Today was Saturday, and it was Sakura's day off. She planned on sleeping in, then going out shopping with Karin. It ended up being noon by the time Sakura woke up. _Ten hours of sleep? Accomplishment reached!_ She got up and made herself some toast. Before hitting the shower, Sakura picked a cute dress and leggings to wear out. The dress was a rust-red hue, with an empire waist under the bust, and ended at her knees. The edges were trimmed with creamy white lace. The leggings she had chosen were chocolate brown with caramel boots to match. Her last choice was a thing cream colored shawl with a printed flower pattern to finish her look. She and Karin were going to _slay_ all the beautiful men they saw today. _They'll never see us coming_! She showered quickly with her favorite soap, apple strawberry. Sakura toweled herself off and got dressed. _Karin will be hear any minute…_ she thought, even though she knew it was usually her who would be retrieving the other. To her surprise, Karin actually did knock on her door, just as she was pulling her purse over her shoulder.

"Ready?" Karin asked.

"Yep!" Sakura smiled.

"You look killer by the way," Karin compliments her, "I wish I could wear red. It just clashes with my hair. But hey, you will slay all their hearts today!"

"I suppose you're right about it clashing with your hair, but hey other colors look good on you! That periwinkle and violet dress you have is gorgeous, and navy blue is _all_ you."

"Yeah… I just love red though. Especially red like Sasuke's eyes." She sighed. _Ugh._

"Well anyway!" Sakura said as she locked her apartment, "What are our plans for today?"

"How about the bookstore? You still haven't filled that bookcase I gave you, and I have just the series you'll _love_."

"I guess we can go there first, but we are not getting lunch at that café." Karin waved it off.

"Whatever you say, Sakura. You've never been there, how can you judge it so harshly? I don't know what you have against it!"

"Ch. We'll see." They stepped off the elevator and waved at Jiraiya on the way out.

"Have a nice day ladies!"

"We will thanks!"

The two waited at the bus stop and got off at the stop between Sakura's work an d the bookstore. Karin walked in front of her, swinging her bag and humming, no doubt thinking of Sasuke. She opened the door and they walked in.

Sakura was astounded by the _exquisiteness_ of the interior. Most bookstores she'd been in had been cold and modern. This place was like you walked into the library of a Victorian mansion, _and everything was for sale!_ There were floor to ceiling bookshelves, with a second level and a moveable ladder to reach the higher shelved books. In the middle of the store was large oval-like area with several dark blue high wingback chars that looked like they'd swallow you, complete with claw feet legs and pillows. Behind them were an adjustable brass lamp, attached to small tables, one at each chair. In the middle of the chairs was a small coffee bar, manned by two baristas. There were tons of people in the store, but many more could fit comfortably.

"Oh. Wow. Karin."

"I told you you'd love it!" The redhead took her hand and pulled her toward a bookcase off an alcove on the right hand of the store, already knowing where she was going. She let go of Sakura and ran her fingers across the spines.

"Icarus… Icha Icha!" She plucked a book out and handed it to Sakura. "Here's the first one." Sakura took the orange book. It had a man chasing a woman on the front and an 18+ symbol on the back.

"Well… I guess. If you insist!"

"There are like 30 more, and he's releasing more all the time! Plus the author is anonymous but they say he's local! I think I may know who he is!"

"Who is it?" Karin turned away and played coy.

"I'm not telling you! Read them first!"

"Eh. Okay." Sakura took her purchase to the checkout and paid.

"So?" Karin nudged her.

"So what?"

"Can we go to the butler café?" Sakura sighed.

"I guess. Why not?" Karin jumped up and punched the air.

"YES!"

The two left and walked around the building to the café. There was quite a line and they ended up waiting around half an hour. By the time they got to the door and were seated, it was rather close to closing time. The man at the door, a tall, dark-haired fellow with extremely bushy eyebrows let them in and closed the gate.

"No more today! So very sorry ladies! Please come back tomorrow and share in the eternal youth!"

There were many groans, but they all left without too much fuss. Sakura and Karin were led to the middle of the establishment, and seated in a small table for two. A young man with red triangles painted on his cheeks approached them.

"Hello ladies, Karin, and who might be your gorgeous friend with you today be?"

"Her name is Haruno Sakura." The man took her hand and gently placed a kiss upon it.

"What can I do for you today? Anything you'd like and it would be my utmost pleasure to serve."

"Aren't you so sweet! What's your name?"

"I apologize, my name is Kiba. I am so very sorry I did not introduce myself earlier, ladies."

"You're fine, Kiba-san." Karin said. "I think we will have two daily specials with your root beer."

"Excellent choice Madams, Uzumaki, Haruno, I will return shortly with your beverages."

"Thank you." They said together. As Kiba left Sakura turned to Karin. "They're all so cute! We MUST come here more often."

"Told you so!" Karin declared.

Kiba returned not a minute later, their beverages balanced on a circle tray.

"Two root beers, my dears. Have you need of anything else at the moment?"

"No thank you, Kiba." Sakura said.

"Your meals should be ready shortly." He bowed deeply and walked away. Sakura noticed all the staff were dressed in suits. It was all very formal and professional.

"What _is_ the daily special, Karin?"

"I think it's a roast beef and Swiss sandwich on toasted rye bread. Comes with salad and cake." Sakura's stomach growled.

"Mmm… my stomach agrees that sounds delicious!"

Kiba came back with their plates and everything on them was as delicious looking as a magazine stock photo. The sandwiches were hot and cheese was oozing out of them. A small toothpick with a bit of colored cellophane on the end was stuck in the center of each half to help hold them together. One the side was a romaine lettuce salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons and cheese with their choice of ranch or Caesar dressing. He set a small bell in the middle of their table.

"Please feel free to ring your bell should you need an assistance ladies! Enjoy your meals!"

Their butler bowed again and left them. Sakura took a sip of her root beer and was surprised.

"They make it themselves?!"

"Yes!"

"Oh my gawd, new favorite place. Right here."

Karin was stuffing her face with salad, but responded around it,

"Me-foo!"

Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you liked it!


	3. All I Do Is Dream Of You

Chapter 3

Hi everyone! I'm so into this story! I've got the third chapter all ready for you! Started typing this up right after I submitted chapter 2! Hope you all love!

All I Do Is Dream of You

KAKASHI

…

The nights were getting shorter, the air hotter, and the sun set later. It was May. Kakashi sat in a tank top and shorts fanning himself in front of his AC vent. The day was very very hot. _Maybe I'll go to the library. Their air conditioning is always going full blast. Wonder if I'll see that pink haired girl out and about today, I bet she's sexy when she's sweaty._ Kakashi threw on a t-shirt and walked out the door.

The last time Kakashi had seen her had been her birthday. Some day in the middle of March. She had been having a party, probably planned by Karin honestly. The music had drifted up through the floor, and had kept him up. _Wish I were invited. . . You know you could probably go and no one would know any different?... Nah no need to be that creeper._ Kakashi had joined Jiraiya at the bar instead. They had chatted until two drunk girls had stumbled off the elevator, making a beeline for the bathroom. It had been the pink-haired girl and Karin. Kakashi saw the flash of her hair and thought about following, but resisted.

"Ah to be young," Jiraiya mused. _Should be you holding back her hair, comforting her, helping her._

"You can say that again." Kakashi downed his drink and left to get on the elevator. The doors closed just as the girls left the bathroom. Pink Hair had some puke trailing down her chin, her makeup was smeared and she was a mess. Karin was a little more sober (surprisingly), but in an equally disheveled state.

 _Still should be you helping her back to her room_.

Kakashi exited the elevator on his floor and walked to his apartment. The music was still thrumming through the floor as he let himself in. He laid down again and this time the alcohol helped him drift into a dream-filled sleep.

Who did his dreams focus on? Pink Hair. Even though he was a complete stranger to him. The dreams were about everything he didn't' have with the woman. Her making coffee and breakfast in his kitchen, wearing nothing but his shirt. Her smiling and kissing him as if they had done it every morning for the past five years. It was her coming home and hugging him tightly. It was his birthday and she had gotten him a puppy. It was her in his bed, sexy in a lace nothing, squirming and sweaty as she came around him. It was the morning after, her face a glow as she slept in his arms. It was a wedding with all their friends smiling with them, it was their life together. _And he wanted all of it_.

SAKURA

…

It's May and Sakura was still working at Wendy's. She was at the library today looking for a book. _Those Icha Icha books Karin recommended were so good._ Sakura was looking for an elusive special edition of the 7th Volume. The bookstore knew it existed but couldn't get their hands on it as it was a limited release.

She explored the popular adult section and found the Icha Icha shelf. It was packed full of the books, with multiple copies of each stuffed every which way. _I know that it's an adult section, but some organization would be nice!_

She stared searching through the books, beginning from the top and working her way to the bottom. She reorganized as she went, putting books in order and where they should be. When she had finished, she still hadn't found the books he was looking for. Sakura even slipped her hand over the top of the bookshelf, hoping it might have gotten lost on the top. There was nothing there. _Damn_. She walked over to the library's row of computers and logged into their card catalog.

 _Icha Icha_. She searched. 2000 results. Search results: _Tactics_. 3 results.

Icha Icha: Tactics: 2/2.

Icha Icha: Tactics: Special Edition: 1/1

 _So it's here! But where is it?_

Sakura walked up to the help desk and waited to be helped. The librarian was a blonde woman about her age. Seemed nice, but probably the gossipy type.

"So sorry to keep you waiting, how may I help you?"

"I'm looking for this book, your catalog says it's there but I can't find it."

"Title?"

"Icha Icha: Tactics: Special Edition."

"Oh! We just so happened to have someone return it today and I just haven't put it back on the shelf yet. Give me a moment I'll retrieve it for you."

"Perfect." The librarian turned to a cart full of books and pulled a green book with a black label around the bottom. She scanned the book and stamped the inside cover, her hand hovering over the name slot.

"Your library card?"

"Oh! I guess I don't have one yet."

"That's fine!" She pulled out a small form and a new library card from her drawer. "Just fill out these few things and we'll get you on your way!" Sakura took the form and filled it out. It was pretty basic, Name, address, etc. She turned the form in and Ino typed the information into her computer. She scanned the new card twice and stamped her name onto the checkout slip. The librarian, her nametag said Ino, slid the book and the card across the counter to her.

"There you are. It's due in two weeks. Sorry about your wait. We are a _bit_ short handed around here."

Sakura's ears perked up.

"Are you hiring?" the lady smiled.

"Yes we are! Let me get you an application!"

Sakura waited at the counter for an application.

"All right, and just put down that Ino referred you, okay?"

"Thanks so much!"

"No problem! You have a great day and I hope we see you soon!"

Sakura smiled and left the library. _Finally something is looking up!_

KAKASHI

…

He had decided to go to the library that day to return a book and abuse their free AC while looking at the classifieds. _Such a cheapskate._ The ads were the same as always, a vehicle or two here, way overpriced, a property here, usually sketchy, the hospitals were always hiring nurses, but the wages weren't high enough to ever bring anyone in. _And nothing you're really qualified for anyway. That business degree you worked so hard for doesn't do shit for the medical field. Not that you'd want to work in a hospital anyway._

Kakashi looked up as he flipped the page and saw her. The pink-haired girl from his building. _And you still don't know her name._ She was stooped in front of his favorite book series. Icha Icha. _So she likes that kind of thing too? Wow. I'm impressed. So Jiraiya, your books are really gaining popularity!_ Apparently she wasn't finding what she was looking for, as she had reorganized the whole shelf and was walking away empty handed. She typed on the computer for a minute and had a confused look on her face. _Go help her you nimrod!_ He actually made the move to get up and help, but she had gotten up too and was heading to the help desk. _Ah they can probably help her better than I can…_ he sighed and sat back down, watching her and the librarian's conversation.

The librarian today was Ino. A nice girl if a bit of a gossip, and apparently she knew just the book the pink girl was looking for. It was green and Kakashi knew exactly what book it was. _Because he had just turned it in not twenty minutes ago. In fact, the last three checkout stamps were his name, he was sure of it. I wonder if she'll like that once scene as much as I have…_ Kakashi could feel himself become aroused at the thought of her body in that scene, and crossed his legs to try and make it go away. _Not in public, you pervert! Jeez, down!_ He left the library in a hurry, leaving his newspaper on a table on his way out. And unfortunately his hasty escape meant he didn't stay long enough for him to hear the pink haired girl take an application.

Once he was outside his phone buzzed in his pocket. Kakashi pulled out his phone and started walking.

"Yeah?"

"Hey Kakashi, you got a minute?" It was Minato, his boss.

"Sure, I'll be by in a few minutes." He closed the phone and stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued towards the café/bookstore, completely oblivious to the pink haired girl exiting the library just as he rounded the first corner.

…

"Kakashi, it's come to my attention that you're looking for other employment. Can I ask why?"

He sighed.

"Well, to tell you the truth boss, I don't have many health benefits, I actually don't have any sort of health insurance whatsoever, let alone a retirement plan. And I'm worried that I'm getting older and will lose my job here." His boss let out a long breath.

"Thank god. I wish you had come to me about it though, and that I didn't have to hear my other employees talking about it."

"Sorry." Minato waved him off.

"Don't worry about it goofball, I'd never fire you! And you should have said something about wanting me to set up some health insurance. I'll hook you up with the same people that I have with my wife. You're one of my closest friends and my very first employee. And for goodness sake you're my son's godfather! Anyway. I was considering adding a position to either the bookstore or the café, maybe both, but I'm looking at hiring a manager. All you have to do is say you'll take it and I'll give it to you."

"Well you know I'll go for the bookstore."

"Of course."

"…What does this new position entail?"

"I'm glad you asked."

…

SAKURA

…

She filled out the application the second she got home and returned it the following day. _Hopefully this will be better,_ she thought as she left the building. _At least I won't have to worry too much about creeps at work, all of my coworkers would be women, I think._

…

Three days later she got a call for an interview.

She got the job.

It was salary, starting at 24,000 a year, with excellent benefits, including health insurance, (even vision and dental!), a retirement plan, paid-time-off, and holiday pay. Sakura was on cloud nine when she went to Wendy's that afternoon. _I can finally put in my two weeks and leave this place!_ And to be honest, she didn't feel bad at all, most of the employees they hired there quit within the month.

Eiko wanted to speak with her once she had arrived.

"What's up Eiko?" Sakura said as she shut the manager's office door shut behind her.

"Well, you've been with us for a while Sakura, what almost six months? Anyway, I know we've been through a lot and I trust you. I want to offer you a management position."

Sakura bit her lip. _Shit, I knew I said that's what I wanted here, to move up, but this new job… shit!_ She thought on it for all of three seconds.

 _"_ Actually, Eiko. I'm sorry, I'll have to decline your offer. I was actually going to put in my two weeks today."

Eiko frowned.

"So you're leaving me? Who am I supposed to hang out with at 2 AM now? Where are you going?"

"To the library."

"Oh they pay really well there."

"Yeah. They do."

"I'm envious, to tell you the truth."

"Well, I'll still be available for that 2 AM hanging out, by the way. Plus you'll still have my number if you ever need to reach me. Just to be clear, you aren't mad at me are you?"

"Nah girl, fuck no. You found something better and it's getting you out of this hell hole. I'm proud of you! My friend on the outside!"

"You're making it sound like prison, Eiko."

"Well… tell me I'm wrong?"

"Touché." And they went to their respective work.

…

Over the next two weeks, Sakura started the library and finished her time at Wendy's. It was hard, she went to the library for training in the morning, got off at 2 and went to Wendy's until closing at 1 AM. She wasn't getting enough sleep, but she just kept telling herself, only 12 more days, 11, 10…

At a going away party they had for her before she left she found out way more about her former coworkers than she ever did while working there. She found out that Naruto and Sasuke were childhood friends and that every time Sasuke had tried to quit, Naruto always brought him back. Probably insisting that if they left they'd leave together. (Secretly, Sakura thought Sasuke probably enjoyed the attention.) It took her by surprise to find out that Sasuke actually had a small crush on Karin, he was just too nervous to approach her and had never seen her outside of work. Sakura gave him her phone number. _Let's be honest, she_ is _quite intimidating._

And her final bit of information? Apparently Naruto's parents owned the bookstore/butler café down the street! What a shock! She asked him why he didn't just work there, and he said it would be too weird having his parents as his boss, and his godfather worked there too. She had to agree. _It was why she hadn't just stayed out on her parents' veggie farm as a farmhand._

…

Things were fantastic for Sakura at the library. She had made two new friends: Ino and Hinata. Ino's father was a psychic and she swore she could sometimes tell what people wanted before they told her. Sakura and Hinata may have chuckled, but they knew Ino truly believed it. Hinata on the other hand was quiet and reserved, but they managed to get it out of her that she was the heiress to an old family fortune. Of course, she was the kind of girl who didn't want it, so she worked for her own money and only spent the smallest amounts of her fortune for special occasions.

Their supervisor was a nice old woman named Chiyo, though she exuded this aura saying 'I could probably kill you 50 different ways with poison before you even realized it.' They were all scared of her, but Sakura liked her. She felt a sort of kindred spirit with the older woman. A young man also worked at the library as a part-timer. His name was Haku. The first time Sakura had seen him, she thought he was a woman. It was just the same: he cross-dressed frequently. Sakura thought it was the most hilarious thing when other men would flirt with him, and he went along with it! He was definitely a character.

Sakura's first assignments were to really get to know the layout of the library. She was to do this by putting away cartfuls of books as they were returned. It took her longer than she anticipated. The library was separated into three stories. The adult section was in the basement, the ground floor had display areas, the help desk, popular shelves, DVD rentals, and public use computers. The upstairs was the young adult and children's sections. The carts she was given were a mixture, so she was riding up and down the elevator all day, trying to find their homes. It was calming work and took her all day. _What a refreshing change of pace,_ Sakura thought _, compared to the ridiculous time expectations of Wendy's!_

So this chapter is a bit shorter than the last one.

But hey!

I HAVE THE NEXT ONE PARTIALLY WRITTEN don't be mad!

Hey guest I love your review! Thanks for your opinion!

*gives poisoned cookies* enjoy!

Please leave a review if you like it! I thrive on your love!


	4. I'll Be Seeing You

Chapter 4

I'll Be Seeing You

Thanks so much for all your kind words and feedback!

I have a couple pictures out there that I drew of my lovelies on my Tumblr page (eeearnest) just search Kakasaku and they should come right up.

Thanks again for reading, hope you love it!

(BTW if this chapter sucks, tell me, Cuz I hate it too. Thanks!)

…

SAKURA

…

Sakura took the bus home today. She was tired from running around the library all day and hadn't brought her bike with her to work. She slumped down in one of the coupled booths (you know where one seat is facing the other?), in the front of the bus. A cold breeze came in through her window, shocking for the time of year, and she looked up, shivering. Not very many people were with her on the bus today. But there was one that stuck out. He had to be… THE Most Beautiful Man In The World. Something inside her SCREAMED saying that she HAD to know him! She smiled a big smile, like you would a friend after you hadn't seen them in six months. The Most Beautiful Man (MBM) looked up. They locked eyes and Sakura's smile widened. _Why do I think I know him? I don't know him? I don't know him!_ It sank in. _Oh shit. I do NOT know this guy!_ He gave her a slightly confused look.

She looked away and got off the bus at the next stop. _You're so stupid Sakura! Such a stupid thing! Maybe he'll think you thought he was someone else? God you had to have looked at him for at least ten seconds. You're such a creep._ Sakura sighed as she walked home. _I wish I had brought my bike._ The man she had seen was beautiful. He looked like he'd be tall, if he had been standing. The man was wearing a suit, and damn did it _suit_ him. So what does the most beautiful man in the world look like? If she had to give you a person, she would have said something like Mcsteamy off of Grey's Anatomy, but only if McSteamy had been the MBMITW. His hair was silver in color, a strange thing, but not unheard of. Just like her pink, and that made him appear older, but he really had to be only in his 30's. _They always say older men have more experience_ … Sakura blushed and walked a little quicker. _What am I saying? A complete stranger! And I'm fantasizing! I'll probably never see him again!_ His lower face had been covered by a scarf/mask type thing, but his eyes... it made Sakura shiver at the intensity in their stare. One of his eyes was an extremely dark grey, and the other a bright red. When they locked eyes, Sakura felt like she fell into them.

She pushed her hands a little further into the corners of her pockets and kept walking. _How hot he was just makes it worse because I'll never see him again._ She huffed at her own misfortune.

…

KAKASHI

…

He didn't normally take the bus home from work. But damn was he glad he did today. Kakashi had seen her _get_ on the bus and was content staring at her, her green eyes looking around the bus. He was startled when they met his, and she smiled. _AT HIM. LIKE SHE KNEW HIM._ He couldn't help but give her a confused look, he'd been trying to find out who she was for months, and she's acting like she knows him?! Apparently she realized her mistake because her face grew red and she looked away in embarrassment. The girl got off a stop early, most likely to get away from him. _If only you knew Sakura, that when you sleep at night, there's less than 30 feet between us…_ He sighed. _And that was creepy. But she's finally seen me, and that doesn't mean much. I wonder… has she perhaps seen me before? She looked really embarrassed when she got off though… I doubt it. I'm sure she was just mistaking me for someone else. .. Even so I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. I can't wait to see her again._

…

As the bus pulled up to their apartment complex, Kakashi saw that Sakura was still about two blocks away. _Hopefully too far to see him, I don't think she knows we live in the same building yet._ As Kakashi entered the elevator, he pushed the 5 button, instead of 6. _Time to pay a visit to a certain red haired woman._

Kakashi rapped against Karin's door, willing her to answer. It had been a few minutes and he knew Sakura would be there any minute. _Come on Kariiinnnnn answer the door._ _Ugh I'll just leave a note_. He took a scrap of paper from his pocket and wrote on it.

 _What do you know about the girl with the pink hair below me?_

 _K.H._

He slipped the note under her door and hoped she wouldn't share it with her neighbor. Nothing like a stalker to make your day better. He quickly left the doorway and entered the stairwell. _Just as the elevator doors opened and a very red-cheeked Sakura walked out. And it definitely wasn't from the cold._

…

KARIN

…

She had been home that evening, but she was in no mood for company. She had just had another customer back out of payment, and it really irked her. The note coming under her door intrigued her. She picked it up and read it.

 _What do you know about the girl with pink hair below me?_

 _K.H._

Karin smiled. The only person with those initials she knew was Kakashi. _Was he the one I saw at her birthday party? Oh gods… this is going to be GOOD._ Karin bit her lip and squealed. _I LOVE PLAYING MATCHMAKER!_

…

SAKURA

…

Time passed quickly for Sakura these days. She got up in the mornings, went to work, came home and made herself a little something to eat, and went to bed. It was a reliable routine, and it gave her time for her dinner dates with Karin, as she was never home later than 7 from work. Her neighbor was quickly becoming her best friend. Even if she didn't know that much about her life away from her.

Today was an especially hot day, and Sakura had decided to wear a maxi dress to work. _It'll be cool. They said. You won't even sweat! They said. If only they knew how wrong they had been. Whoever they was._ Everything was fine until she went to bike home on an early shift, around 3 PM. When the sun seemed to be at its most scorching. The hot wind blew dirt in her face and the sun beat down on her, she was sweaty and gross within minutes. To make matters worse, she had tried to purchase a Slurpee on the way home. Big mistake. She ended up wearing it. By the time she got to her apartment building, her coral dress was more of a blush pink from the dust in the air, with random red splotches all over it, they helped hide the sweat pits but not much. Her hair? Ratty and tangled, dirty, and all together trashy. Sakura was sure if she lifted her arms an inch, dirt and rivulets of sweat would be released.

As she entered the building, she saw the Most Beautiful Man exiting the elevator. Instantly she walked up to the closed bar (just so happened to be right inside the door on the right), and pulled out her phone, becoming instantly engrossed as ignored the man.

[Karin OH MY GOD I just saw the MBM and I look like a FUCKING SWEAT MONSTER! Help!]

[AHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I'm not home you're on your own! BTW who's MBM?]

[The guy I told you about on the bus a while back?]

[Jeeeezzz. So wait. He lives in our building?]

[YES.]

[HOLY SHIT] [GIRL YOU GET SOME] [AND SEND ME PICTURES]

[You idiot I'm not going to take pictures of him! I'll look like a stalker!] Sakura looked up and the MBM was just passing her, and HE WAS LOOKING AT HER! _Ugh, the one day I don't want anyone to see me._ She glared at her phone, willing Karin to reply.

[But you'd have such cute TRASH BABIES! BAHAHAHAHAHHA!]

[Only because of their father's genes. I'm not 100% sure if SWEAT MONSTER is compatible with HUMAN. Plus in my state, I probably look like I just left the scene of a murder. There's not really a reason for anyone to look like this, not unless they're in a real big hurry.]

 _Ugh. I forgot why I asked to get off early. Fuck Aunt Erma._

…

KAKASHI

…

Kakashi had finally seen Pinky, as he had taken to calling her, again. It looked like she was a bit… flustered. If that was what you called dumpster divers on a good day. She was still cute, but it looked she had gone to a gym, sweated a bunch, then ran through a fried chicken factory. Coming out the breading side. As he passed her sitting at the bar, _perhaps catching her breath after leaving the scene of a murder?,_ she looked up and he met her eyes momentarily before hers flitted back to her phone. They were fierce and bright. _I bet whoever she just killed just lied down and let her. I bet I could get her to make that look at me in bed…_ _course only after I help her hide the body._ Kakashi thought. _Mmm…_ He left the building for an evening shift at the butler café.

"See ya later, Jiraiya," he waved as the door closed behind him.

…

SAKURA

…

[Kariiinnnn when do you get homeee…..]

[Later. Why.]

[Do you know anything about this guy?]

[What guy]

[MBM!}

[Nah not really…]

[… what do you know… *devil emoji*]

[nothing!]

[…]

[Okay okay! He lives here…]

[And?]

[And… I think he might be the guy that saw us puking downstairs on your birthday?]

[THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN IN THE WORLD. SAW. ME. PLASTERED. AF. On my birthday. OH MY GOOOOODDD NOOOOOOO]

[Alas…tis true. Unless you want to hope he _isn't_ the guy that saw us. But how many cute guys are there under 40 with grey hair in the building?]

[True. *crying emoji*]

[Sorry bro.]

[Do you know anything else?]

[…nah man.]

[Mmk…]

 _Why don't I believe her?_

Sakura plugged her phone in and set it on her nightstand. _Whatever. I guess I'll just have to find out on my own eventually._

…

KAKASHI

…

 _Minato wasn't kidding when he said it would be a lot more responsibility, and different kinds of responsibility. Now I_ have _to know what everyone does with their lives so I can know their schedules and what they can work. Kind of a pain, but the extra money was worth it._

Kakashi looked over the scheduling spreadsheet on the computer in front of him one more time, double and triple checking everything to try and be sure he didn't fuck up. Or at least not fuck it up _too hard_. _They'll just have to be patient with me as I transition into the position. At least I get to help with the book order now. This should be_ fun _._

He clicked print, then entered 20 in the copy number slot of the dialog box. The machine on the right side of him whirred to life and started printing. He waited for the copies, then posted them on the employee break room board. _Ah. Great. Something is finished. At least I have one thing I can say is done for today._

…

Kakashi hadn't ran into Pinky for a couple weeks before that day. Not the Maxi Dress Incident, the day he deemed the Salsa Incident. _It seemed odd that they would live in the same building and not see each other more often. Maybe she's avoiding me? Ha, avoiding all witnesses to the murder. Every time he saw Pinky, something had gone wrong for her._ Several of the times he had seen her in passing (whether she was aware of his existence or not), she looked like she had taken up a job as a grease monkey or a halfway homeless person. Not too much different from being covered in salt and fryer oil, like she had been at her previous job, but one day she came in covered in a blue Slurpee from 7/11. _She must just be clumsy, or have wicked bad luck._

But back to the Salsa Incident. He had been getting on the elevator to ride up to his apartment and she was in the small metal room already. She was trying to beat the heat, wearing a tiny pair of shorts that made his throat tighten and a tight fitting white shirt. It took him a moment to stop ogling her and see the large red stain slowly spreading across her chest. Bits of tomato and pepper were everywhere and a small puddle of salsa had landed on the floor. Unfortunately, her chest seemed to have taken the brunt of it. Kakashi saw that she was holding a positively gigantic burrito in one hand and a mostly empty jar of salsa in the other. She look incredibly _horrified_ by his presence and she oozed mortification. He mouth was full of burrito and a blush covered her cheeks. He pushed the 6 button and the doors slid shut. Kakashi didn't want to make the situation any more awkward, so he tried to change the subject.

"Nice day we're having huh." He heard her gulp the bite of burrito in her mouth before trying to respond.

"Uh. I suppose." His gaze bored into his shoe and he rocked on his heels. Before he could say anything else, the doors opened on the 3rd floor and three douchecanoe-looking guys entered the elevator, pushing him and Sakura to opposite sides of the elevator. They saw Sakura and turned away, chuckling like 2nd graders. Her blush grew. Kakashi noticed they had pushed '4' and could only think _I wish they had taken the stairs_. The elevator stopped and they left, but Kakashi could hear them talking amongst themselves before the doors slid shut.

"Did you see that girl? She was positively, nastttyyy."

"Not so nasty you wouldn't dick her, idiot."

"You'd have to bag that head though." And they laughed.

Thank God the doors shut before they could get another word in.

"Jerks." Kakashi mumbled under his breath. He wanted to say more to her, but was afraid she was already beyond her limits of embarrassment. They were suddenly on her floor and she was leaving and he was sure he heard her crying as she left and he wanted to reach out and call her back BUT GOD DAMNIT HE STILL DIDN'T KNOW HER NAME!

…

SAKURA

…

The Most Beautiful Man is ALWAYS THERE! WHY? WHY does this happen? What VENGEFUL God has orchestrated it so the ONLY TIMES I ever run into the Most Beautiful Man in the WORLD are when I could easily be MISTAKEN for a CHILDS DOLL that has been put through the wash by accident? Or a dollar bill that has been stained by years of being in people's SWEATY PALMS, or a MOP with EYES.

 _Whatever._ It was only thing during the day of the MAXI DRESS, but it was entirely another when he came in not SECONDS after she had spilled salsa ALL OVER in a big red stain right down the front of her BRAND NEW WHITE SHIRT. LIKE a god damned KINDERGARTNER!

Sakura stripped off her stained shirt over her sink and sprayed copious amount of Shout! Into the obnoxious red blob on the front of the fabric. _Stupid white clothes. Why do you have to be so easily stained? Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._ She picked up her phone and typed a message.

[Karin. Best thing for salsa stain on white?]

[Baking soda, wash and dry in sun, sun will bleach stain out.]

[Thanks.]

Sakura tossed her now slightly orange shirt into the wash with some baking soda and hoped it would come out. _I just bought that shirt and it fit so well and looked so good on meee... Swear if he sees me one more time looking like a garbage troll I might just kill myself. The hottest guy I know and every time I see him I either make a complete and utter ASS of myself, or look like a half-drowned, piss soaked sewer rate! And he's even seen me at my worst, covered in puke and drunk out of my mind._

Sakura held her face in her hands. _Maybe there is a bright side. At least it couldn't get worse._ She rubbed her eyes and got dressed for bed. _Maybe tomorrow will be better. Ah, now you're being too optimistic._

That night, it was Sakura who dreamt. And her dreams were filled… with the Most Beautiful Man, In the World. She dreamed that they were back on the bus, but this time she was directly across from his seat. And she was naked. Sakura tried to cover herself, but the MBM caught her arms and stopped her. The look in his eyes was unexplainable. He wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled down his mask to kiss her. The world shifted and swirled around them and they were dancing in a field of flowers. He hugged her tightly to his chest and whispered in her ear as they swayed to the music in the trees. _I love you, Sakura._

…

She woke up early the next day and smiled as she remembered bits of her dreams. _Wish my dreams were like that every night. Last week I had a dream I was a ninja medic on the same team as the MBM and that I was performing field 'medicine' on him, and that he ended up dying in my arms anyway._ Sakura felt chills run down her arms remembering that dream. It still haunted her at the vividness of it. _Some people say that dreams are an alternate reality… maybe that's it?_

Sakura unplugged her phone and checked her notifications.

 _17 new emails, Turn on GPS for…, 3 new messages._

[Girls night tonight?]- Ino

[Love you, Sakura]-Mom

[Work today?]- Hinata

She paused on the second message, remembering what Kakashi had said to her in her dream. _Wouldn't it be nice if one day that could be real?_

[Sure. Who's in?]

[Love you too, Mom]

[Yeah, 9-5]

[Hey Karin, want in on girls' night tonight?]

She put her phone down and hopped in the shower. _Guess I better clean up the place if everyone is coming over._ Sakura was just pulling on her shirt when her phone buzzed again.

[I think Hinata, Haku and if you want you should invite Karin.] Ino

[Sweet. Wait. Haku?]

[Yeah, you know the guy who cross-dresses at work? You knew he identified as female right? I'm still never sure whether to call him he or she so I just stick with he. I don't think he minds.]

[Yeah. Should be cool. I don't really know if he wants to be called he or she so I'll just say Haku.]

[Probably smart. See you at work.]

She threw her phone in her purse, slipped on her shoes and grabbed a pop tart for breakfast. Sakura unchained her bike from the rack in front of the building and was off on her way to work, the toaster pastry hanging from her mouth. It was still hot, being the middle of August now, but being that it was still 8:30 AM, Sakura was fine with the light breeze keeping her cool. _Phew_.

Work went by quickly for the girls, all of them working that afternoon. Sakura talked with them all about what movies they liked, and what pizza they wanted, who's soda preference, etc. Even Haku joined in, which Sakura thought might be weird at first but turned out to be really great. He had this instinct into the situation most men didn't have and knew how not to be creepy. He was dressed up in a flouncy top, trousers, suspenders and a bowtie. Instead of his normally dark long hair, he had a shaggy silver wig today. It reminded her so much of the MBM, that she was a bit freaked. When asked he told her that he had been inspired by a beautiful human being. Sakura had a feeling she knew who it was.

When they all got off work, the four of them walked to Sakura's apartment building, Sakura slowly pedaling to keep the slower pace of walking with the rest of them. She chained up her bike as Ino and Hinata entered the building, then followed with Haku still behind her. Jiraiya smiled as they walked through his door.

"Hello ladies!" He winked at Haku. _The fuck? Did he know Haku? Did Sakura know anyone who actually knew Haku? Maybe she'd have to interrogate Jiraiya later…_ Sakura shook her head and kept walking. Ino and Hinata had already entered the elevator and were holding it open for her at this point. Haku grabbed her hand and they caught up to the other two in the elevator before he dropped it.

Sakura called in their pizza order right away while Ino knocked on Karin's door (she had agreed to join them while they were at work.) Her blonde friend returned momentarily with a smiling Karin in dusty pink PJs, coming in just as Sakura had ended the call with the pizza place. They all looked at Karin for a moment, not processing pajamas at 5:30 PM.

"What? I don't think we're going anywhere, so why not?" They all nodded. _No judgment here girly._

"Everyone good with a pepperoni, a supreme, and a ton of breadsticks? Oh I also got a couple 2 liters." They all agreed that she'd done fine, and like it even more that she had gotten a party special.

"What movie are we going to watch?" Karin asked.

"Well I know we said something about watching Studio Ghibli," Sakura mentioned, "The only question is, which of the like 20 movies do we watch?"

"My favorites are Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away." Karin said.

"SAME" said everyone in the room.

"So which one do we watch?"

"How about both?" Haku chirped in.

"You're a genius Haku!" Sakura popped open her Ghibli collection DVD set and picked out both movies.

…

KAKASHI

…

It was his own fault. He knew she was probably not single. _Damn you for even_ thinking _a woman so similar to yourself might be single._ Kakashi saw Pinky over his balcony, walking into the elevator on the bottom floor with _another man_. He slapped his forehead and rubbed his eyes.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." He muttered. _You have to admit though, that boy kind of looked like me… Not that that means anything. You'll have to move on, there's no sense in unrequited love. Wait… what?_ He went down to the bar for a few drinks after Jiraiya opened up, he wanted to wallow and forget. While he was there, a woman came up to him, definitely interested. She chatted him up and he thought, _you know what? Maybe I'll give this girl a chance. This could be just what I need to get Pinky out of my system._ He smiled at the woman next to him. (Through his mask, so she probably just got a double eye-crease). Kakashi started responding to her, giving her his attention. She was nice enough. Said her name was K…Kassie? She was average. _And you don't deserve any better._ Her hair was dirty blonde and slightly wavy, but looked undecided about which way it would rather go, curly or straight. She had a slightly gap toothed smile and a nasally voice, but Kakashi decided to ignore it.

 _Maybe I could… learn to like her?_

A tiny ding in the background rang in his ear, but he decided not to turn and look. A girl came up to the bar on the side of him opposite Kassie, and started ordering.

"Hi, I'd like a bottle? Of UV Blue if you've got it, Jiraiya. Thanks."

Kakashi didn't turn until the girl had retrieved her bottle and was walking away. _Of course he recognized that voice._ And then it was too late. The girl with the pink hair like cherry blossoms was entering their building's elevator. What Kakashi didn't understand was the devastated look on her face. And why his heart twisted on itself when he saw her like that.

 _Why would she look so down? Boyfriend troubles?_ He thought slightly hopefully. He mentally slapped himself, _you're trying to forget her idiot!_ Kakashi turned back to the girl next to him.

"Wanna go somewhere a little more… private?" she asked him, even though they were the only two patrons there.

"S…sure."

…

SAKURA

…

 _I should have known. I should have known such a hot man couldn't be single! God, Sakura, you're SO FUCKING STUPID! What does she have that I don't? He probably didn't give a damn about your existence the whole time! Because he has a fucking GIRLFRIEND you FUCKING IDIOT!_

Sakura unscrewed the cap on her vodka and took a large glug. It burned a bit going down and she welcomed it. The elevator opened and she walked out, the alcohol starting to settle in her empty stomach.

She opened the door to her apartment to Ino and Karin making lemonade.

"Bring us the VODKA!"

"Okay okay!" The bottle was taken from her and she couldn't hold back a smile. They added a bit-more-than-modest amount into the pitcher with the lemonade.

"Stop when it gets to a beautiful teal color okay?" Sakura said, walking toward her kitchen for some ice and glasses.

"This is the best drink. Called a bombsicle. The kind of alcohol that gets you drunk and you can't taste anything but sweet."

"WOO!"

Because everyone can solve their problems with alcohol.

…

Thanks so much for reading everyone!

This chapter sucked so much. I don't like the flow, but hey if you like it let me know and I'll shut up.

Thanks again to all of you for reading my shit work.

:3

Have a nice day!

Liz


	5. The Lady is a Tramp

Chapter 5

Thanks for reading everyone! Can't wait to hear more from you! :3

Another chapter for my lovelies.

The Lady Is a Tramp

SAKURA

…

The night had been great! After 3 glasses of her mixed drink, Sakura had been _very_ happy. So happy she had almost forgotten about the random woman she had seen with her Most Beautiful Man. After her guests passed out, Sakura lied in her bed and stared at the ceiling. The apartment grew quiet and she heard a _sound_ come from her ceiling. _Was that?_ And she heard it again. _Definitely female._ The next sound was even louder and Sakura sighed. _At least_ someone _was getting lucky around here._ Sakura opened her eyes and a low groan escaped her. _Dear god, please. No. You've been cruel enough. That_ can't _be the Most Beautiful Man with a woman. Please let it be anyone else… You know he lives on the 6_ _th_ _floor… Shut up!_ She refused to believe it, but if Sakura had been sexing up the Most Beautiful Man she was sure she would be making noises just as loud. She closed her eyes but it was no good, they came right through, as if the couple were right next to her during their actions.

She imagined if she herself was in that woman's position. _It could still be someone else. It could still be someone else_ … but she was already into it. She got up and locked her door, before stripping down to her underwear and lying back down. She lied there and felt her body, imagining it was his hands instead of her own. They'd be larger than hers, warmer, and stronger. Probably rougher. Her hands traced up and down her sides, brushing over her ribcage and tracing over her breasts, with just the lightest touch, giving her goosebumps and perking up her nipples. She pinched them and bit off a moan of her own as she did so. She imagined the Most Beautiful Man were the one playing with her breasts, taking his time with her moderately sized chest. _Unlike those other guys, not giving one lick about me, just caring about themselves. I bet the Most Beautiful Man knows what he's doing in bed._

Sakura let one hand slowly drift away from her chest, imagining that he was lying over her, kissing her body, leaving hot wet kisses on her neck, her chest, her stomach, her thighs… She didn't let her hand stray too far, for the Most Beautiful Man wouldn't be about that instant gratification, he'd tease her endlessly. He would know there was a very best moment to initiate contact. Instead she traced up and down her outer lips, knowing without touching her most inner core that she would be wet, swollen, _and ready for him_. Sakura felt her face grow hot and flushed, her breathing came in shallower pants. She finally gave herself what she wanted. She imagined his face and hands, his mouth, his tongue. All on her body. Her body responded in kind, winding up and taking off like a top. She had never experienced such an intense rush of feeling. As she reached her peak, Sakura bit her knuckle, and heard a loud moan come through the ceiling.

 _Mm! You get some too girl!_

Sakura drifted off to sleep, only covering herself with a sheet.

…

She awoke the next morning to a loud knocking at her door.

"Sakura open your door! I have to pee!" She got up and threw on a shirt.

"Ugh I'm coming hold on." Sakura opened the door and whoever had been knocking rushed in. It was Karin. The rest of her guests had already left, judging by the empty and slightly trashed living room.

"What time is it?"

"12:45" Karin said from the bathroom.

"Where is everyone?"

"Um… they had to work?" The toilet flushed.

"Hm." She hadn't been scheduled to work today, and her hungover headache was glad for it. Too bad for the others. _If I had known they had to work today, I wouldn't have suggested drinking. Not that they said anything either though…._

"Do you remember something about us all going to a movie next week I think?" she asked.

"Something like that?" She left Sakura's room and walked to the front door. "Bye now."

"Hey wait!"

Sakura stood there looking at her,

"You were going to leave me with this mess? Pleassseee heellllppp meeeee."

"Ugh fine, but if I get a call for a client, I'm leaving."

"Fair enough."

Sakura grabbed some cleaning supplies and trash bags, and they set about cleaning the kitchen and living room. They were the two rooms mostly used. Sakura filled two trash bags and set them by the front door to take to the garbage shoot, then retrieved a vacuum from the closet to follow Karin as she wiped down sticky surfaces.

After Karin left, Sakura admired the clean apartment. There was something about living alone and being able to walk around her apartment half naked if she wanted to without having to worry about shitty roommates and their equally terrible boyfriends. The worst ones she had had were when she was trying to live off campus with a couple of 'friends'. Well she had known one of the girls, and the other was a friend of that friend. They were now referred to as Those Evil Bitches. Sakura felt sorry for the girl who had moved in after she left. Here are some examples of their douchebagery: Insisting my pet had to be locked up (even though she had never misbehaved before being locked up at a previous home), because their pets were locked up. Their pets? One was a rabbit who literally left little balls of shit all over the house, thus making sense why they would be kept in a cage. (Also bunnies can't really terrorize the place when they're locked up) but anyway, on to the third, the last roommates pet was a dog, which I would have been fine with being inside, except she got into everything and ate everything and knocked over trash cans and was a real menace. So that was that. And they wouldn't give up so I kept my cat locked up. Now to tell you more about the animal situation, my cat was not fixed at the time (because I love her so much I was thinking about having kittens with her, but can't now sadly), and they insisted if I wanted to let her out _more¸(_ not always allowed out mind you), I had to get her fixed. And that costs like 200$! Not easy to come by mind you.

Enough about the pets.

Another thing they would do? Hide my toaster. They would literally hide my toaster because I would leave it on the counter. And why did I leave it on the counter? Because that's where toasters go! On the counter! Another kitchen appliance they fucked me over on was my fryer. I had literally just put brand new oil in the thing (which was easily a gallon or so of oil, fairly expensive), and my boyfriend and I at the time used it, and then went and hung out in my bedroom while waiting for the oil to cool before moving it back to its storage place (Because I had compromised and let them tell me where to put that one), and when I came back down? The bitch that I hadn't known before moving in had dumped the entire container down the kitchen sink. It's _oil_ and there was at least a fucking gallon of it. At which point I facepalmed and got quite angry at her. She said that it was leaking which I do not believe for a second.

Just two more examples of their bitcheyness and I'll move on I promise!

We had a 'talk' one night where we were supposed to be solving our problems and what did they do? Ganged up on me and told me that I was the cause of all the problems! Seriously! And then they went and asked me if I'd pay for a third of the cable because that third roommate had purchased an expensive cable package outside of our internet plan and was paying an arm and a leg for it (idiot), and I refused on grounds that I didn't watch it so shouldn't have to pay that. And what did she do? Refuse to pay her third of the internet. Like seriously? If you can't afford it you shouldn't have purchased it, stupid twat. (After I moved out, they canceled the internet as well, which had been in my name and thus made me pay an early termination fee. Which was complete and utter shit btw).

Last thing.

When I was moving out?

They literally wouldn't let me come get my things at my own pace.

They said they were scared I would steal something.

They threatened to call the cops on me.

And the last night I was there, cleaning everything and shoving it all in my car to leave? They insist that I have to do more things before I can go, _because the landlord had said I had to_. What did I do? I believed them. (Stupid). So I painted a thing, and vacuumed a thing, and when my friend and I had left (I brought her because I didn't trust the two wouldn't try and stab me or something.), they said I hadn't done things correctly, drug me back in the house and kicked my friend out. Literally slammed the door in her face and locked it. They said I hadn't done things correctly and this and that. That time, I said no, fuck you and your bullshit, I'm leaving.

And that was that.

They didn't take that very well, and one even threatened to try and sue me. Which was completely laughable.

Ha.

Well enough about my old shitty roommates.

Her apartment was clean and she needed a shower. Sakura stripped and got in, enjoying not having to do anything. As she dressed, she picked up an Icha Icha book from her bookcase and started where she had left of. She was on Book 10 and the plot was really starting to develop. For the most part, Sakura had thought Icha Icha books were just pointless smut. She was happy to be proven wrong. The main storyline was about a sexy ninja, yes, and there was a lot of sex, but the plot in the middle of it all actually existed if you looked amongst the series.

…

The week came and went for Sakura. It was uneventful and Sakura relished in it. At the very least she hadn't embarrassed herself too much this week. Today was Saturday and Sakura was sure they had made a move date for that afternoon the previous week.

She pulled into the theatre parking lot and a lot of people were there. But Sakura didn't see her friends. She paid for her taxi and got out.

[Where are you guys?] she sent to each of them.

She entered the theatre and paid for a ticket to the first Icha Icha film, then ordered two large popcorns, and a candy bar. Sakura entered the first theatre and found a group of five seats that were empty. She waited for a while, watching the pre-previews garbage.

[Work]-Ino

[I'm at work, sorry]-Hinata

[I had a last minute client, my bad. Plus was it today? I forgot. LOL]-Karin

[Out of town]-Haku

 _God damn it! What am I going to do with all this popcorn now?_ She kind of just sat for a few minutes, wondering if she should leave and come back another day with them. _Oh well, it is kind of an intimate movie…_ By the end of the flick, Sakura was glad they had not came after all. _Those scenes were almost too scandalous for a public movie theatre! Definitely not child friendly!_ Sakura vowed to see the second film once it came out, definitely either alone or with just Karin next time.

The credits rolled and Sakura had barely made a dent in the popcorn and hadn't opened her candy. _Must have been too distracted_. She called a cab and took up the whole backseat with her popcorn. She made her way back to the apartment complex. Sakura was barely able to carry it all inside, a popcorn tub in each arm and the candy bar hanging out of her mouth.

Jiraiya caught her eye as she walked in. Sakura set her items down on the bar in front of him.

"My goodness, girl. You have having another party?"

"Nope. It's all for me." Sakura put the candy bar back in her mouth, waved at him, then left with a popcorn in each arm. She walked toward the elevator. An elevator the Most Beautiful Man had just walked out of. _I will not crack! He's not single!_

…

KAKASHI

…

If he hadn't been so surprised, he would have spoken to her. _She said that entire mountain of popcorn was for her alone. What kind of boyfriend would do that to a girl? They broke up. They weren't even dating. He hasn't been around at all this week and I've never even seen him before that. Maybe he was just a friend? I've got to find out her name. I can't_ STAND _it anymore!_ Kakashi looked up and saw Jiraiya. If he had been in a cartoon a lightbulb would have lit over his head. _Why didn't I think of this sooner? The doorman knows everyone who lives in the building! Now don't get your hopes up, just in case she isn't single, okay stupid?... You're right, but I'm still going to ask._

Kakashi walked up to one of his closest acquaintances. Jiraiya had known him for years and Kakashi helped him with his books, most of the time as a preemptive reader, before the book went to his editor.

"Jiraiya, I need some answers."

"What is it, Kakashi? The meaning of life? Women?"

"Well it's about a woman. Who is that pink haired girl that was just here and lives on 5?"

"Why do you want to know?" Jiraiya asked with a slightly suspicious, slightly malicious smile. _Of course he would be that type._ Kakashi couldn't blame him though, he knew there was an age gap, most likely, and you should always be wary of giving out people's information.

"Well, can I tell you the truth?"

"Only if I can tell you the same."

"I've been crushing on her so hard for months, Jiraiya, Like 6 of them. I don't even know her name. All I know is that she's a klutz, lives below me, and has a liking of Icha Icha. Is she even dating anyone?"

"And you don't even know her _name?_ "

"Unfortunately, no."

"Wow, Kakashi. Her name is Haruno Sakura. She's a great girl, one of Tsunade's closest; her adoptive granddaughter. So that means be careful, that girl could beat the crap out of you if she wanted to."

"Damn. She's so small though, surely she's not that big of a threat."

"She and Tsunade sometimes take karate together. And they're good at it. I've been kicked by Tsunade before, trust me when I tell you you do NOT want to be on the other end of that kick."

"I hear you, I hear you."

 _Sakura. A fitting name for such a beautiful woman._ Kakashi forgot what he'd been intending to do before talking to Jiraiya and walked back to the elevator. He notice a piece of popcorn had landed on the floor inside and chuckled. _I have a name now. Now we're making progress. Maybe next time you need someone to eat popcorn with, Sakura, it can be me._

…

Kakashi was taking the elevator a few days later and the box stopped on 5. The doors opened and Sakura came in.

"Hello."

"H-hi." _Her voice was so cute!_

"So... have you… uh… lived here long?" He asked, not entirely sure what to say.

"For about eight months."

"Oh so not too long then! Ha!" _Idiot say something less weird!_ "I've been here something like 15 years."

"Oh jeez you must be pretty old then." Kakashi glanced at her and saw that she had looked away and was blushing.

"How old do you think I am?" He couldn't help a bit of hurt in his voice. But before he got a response, the elevator reached the first floor and they exited. Sakura rushed out the front door. _Did I scare her away?_ He left for work, noticing that Sakura was already completely gone out of sight. He was not looking forward to a write up he had to make this morning.

SAKURA

…

 _God damn it! The one time he is right there and already talking to you and you didn't ask his name!_ She took her bike to work, handing an uneventful day compared to her exciting conversation with the MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN. _We barely talked_ , she thought. _Why am I so hung up on it? I called him old! I'm such an awkward turtle!_

"You good, Sakura?" She heard Ino ask next to her.

"Yeah."

"Just wondering, you've been standing here for like ten minutes just staring at the bookshelf. I know that books are great, but you can't stare at them for so long, they'll get shy." Sakura blushed.

"Sorry, guess I must have spaced out."

"Not a problem girly, like I said I'm just looking out for the books. We're almost done here if you want to split a bit early today."

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Nah, you're good."

"Thanks, Ino!" She waved at the girl and walked over to punch out on their time clock. _Haruno Sakura: In 8:55, Out 6:30._ Sakura picked up her backpack, which mostly contained Icha Icha, receipts, and random _other_ items. She threw the backpack on and walked out the door to the bike racks. She unlocked the chain on her bike lock and pulled her bike out of the metal stands before straddling it and starting for home.

Sakura locked up her bike outside the complex when she arrived and home and walked in, saying hello to Jiraiya before heading to the mail slots. Her box just so happened to be on the top row and if she was being honest, it was just a bit out of reach. She did however, always manage to get it open one way or another most days. Even if she did have to jump. He backpack she switched to one arm, and as she finally reached her mailbox, turned the key, had several papers fall out on her, her backpack slipped. To the floor. A couple books fell out, along with some old mail and much to her horror, a bunch of tampons. _Fuck that time of the month and this crappy old backpack. And FUCK YOU BAG._

She didn't notice that another person had entered the building and was staring at her. Not even when she started yelling at her bag.

"Why? Why did you do that after I explicitly told you not to? Do you like being on the floor?" She stood up and saw him, standing at the bar next to Jiraiya. It was like fucking clockwork. Every FUCKING time she fucked up something in her life or something went wrong, he was there. EVERY TIME! Her cheeks burned and she gathered up her things in a hurry and rushed to the elevator.

 _All I wanted was to come home and have a cup of tea and read a good book. Is that too much to ask? Is it really too much to have one time where I look like an actual functioning adult in front of him? I do look normal most of the time! Pfft. Not as if he's single girl. Just get over him and move on._

KAKASHI

…

Sakura was yelling at inanimate objects. Probably not for the first time. Kakashi heard Jiraiya's warning again in his head. _And I believe him. If that bag doesn't respect her now, it probably never will and she might just kill it._ She had left so quickly, a piece of her mail had been left behind, along with her mailbox key in the box still. He picked it up, and took the key out of the box. Kakashi planned on returning them. He pushed the up button on the elevator and waited. It would be a good minute or two, as it had to get to the fifth floor, drop Sakura off, and come back for him. He waited patiently. _Maybe I'll leave her a little note._ Kakashi chuckled. He pulled out a pen and wrote on the back of her envelope. _Maybe I should have offered to help her? But she might have been even more embarrassed of him touching her personal possessions? Leaving it alone was probably for the best, even if you didn't get to talk to her._

His phone buzzed in his pocket on his way up in the elevator.

[Wanna meet up later?] –Kassie

 _I SHOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN HER MY NUMBER._

[Nah, not tonight.]

Kakashi clicked on the woman's contact and deleted it. He hadn't even been the one to enter it. On that first drunken night after the bar, she had taken his phone and put herself in it while he slept. _And now she couldn't seem to get enough of him._ But it wasn't really him she couldn't get enough of. It was more of an obsession with his dick. And at this time in his life, that wasn't really what Kakashi was looking for. He had no problem with a one night stand, but after around a week, things were getting a little weird and out of hand. Kakashi was hoping to never hear from her again. The elevator opened on Sakura's floor and he walked out and down the hall to her apartment. _She might think it creepy I know her place number… but oh well it's printed on her mail, so it's not so bad._

Kakashi pushed the mail under her door along with the key and quickly walked away. As he got back in the elevator his phone buzzed a couple times.

[Movie night next weekend Kakashi? That new Icha Icha film came out and we should see ittttt.] Genma

[Aw, Kakassshiiii… don't you wuvv me anymore?]Kassie

He sighed and answered both.

[Sure. Just us guys?]

[No. And I never did. Sorry but I think you've got the wrong idea here. I don't want to see you ANYMORE. PLEASE DELETE MY NUMBER AND STOP BOTHERING ME.]

 _Damn you're being a savage ass Kakashi… Well… Sometimes people won't stop without a bit of a shove._

[Sure. But hey don't you have that new girl?]

[Just wants sex, not the person.]

[Bad thing? ;)]

[I'm just not that into that sort of thing anymore. Unlike you, perv.]

[Eh we'll go just the two of us.]

[Sounds good.]

Kakashi slid his phone in his pocket and walked off the elevator to his own place. Kakashi lied down and willed his phone to silence.

He was not granted such a request.

[But Kakashi I thought we had a connection.]

[hey Kakashi.]

[hey asshole]

[answer me]

[I love you]

[please Kakashi]

[its that other girl isn't it]

[that pink haired slut]

[so you like the fake hair huh]

[I can dye it]

[come on kakashiiii]

Kakashi opened his phone and pulled up the block number list and entered hers.

 _Finally. Maybe now I can get some sleep._

…

SAKURA  
…

 _I swear to God I'm never going outside again! That man has got to be the reason these horrible things keep happening to me! He's like tragedy magnet!_ HMPH!

She dumped her stuff on the couch and thought for a few minutes on what she wanted to do with her evening.

 _Maybe I'll just sleep for a week? That Icha Icha movie was good. Maybe I'll take Karin next weekend._

Sakura looked over at a sound at her door. Someone had slid an envelope under her door. She grabbed the paper and the key that had been with it and looked through her peephole.

No one was there. She looked back at the envelope in her hands. IT was her rent statement. _Definitely want that!_ Sakura turned it over to open the envelope and noticed the note.

 _I'm sorry that happened to you this afternoon. You dropped this, and left your key. Hope you have a better day, Sakura._

 _K.H._

Sakura sat on her couch. _Oh my god. It's from HIM! What a nice guy!... Wait. How does he know my name?_ She looked back at the mail and set it aside. _I've got to get his name somehow! What does KH mean? Kingdome Hearts? I doubt it. Hm.._

…

Thanks for reading again you guys! Sorry this chapter got a bit cut out of the end, which was my fault for putting too many important events in a 24 hour period in the story. Movie next week lol!

Love you guys who tell me what you think. Thanks so much!

Liz.


	6. I've Got A Crush On You

Chapter 6

I've Got a Crush On You

Hello everyone! It's me again! With another new chapter! I'm so happy for this one because all the progress is finally made.

If you guys don't know it already exists, please go join the discord chat!

I think this link should work:

/invite/uz2VCYr

You must ship Kakasaku to join us, no antis please it just ruins the feels.

As always I love hearing from you all! Thanks for all your glorious reviews!

…

KAKASHI

…

 _Sakura's been avoiding me. Can't blame her, I guess. I think she's been taking to the stairs to avoid seeing me at all costs… If you think about, everytime you see her… literally every time… something awful has happened to her or happens to her while she's in your presence. She probably thinks you're a disaster magnet. I'd stay away from me too!_ Kakashi sighed and fiddled with the fabric on his suit jacket. If only she wouldn't avoid me for so long… It was coming to the end of September now, and Kakashi felt a little sadder every day he didn't see her. They weren't even together, let alone even KNEW each other, and he felt her absence as vividly as he felt his right arm. _I don't usually form such deep attachments... this easily. What the hell is wrong with me that I like her so much? Am I just getting old? Is this a mid-life crisis? Too early for that right?_

He sighed and left the elevator. Kakashi glanced around the lobby, hoping to see Sakura.

"Not out here today, Kakashi."

"How do you read my mind, Jiraiya?" Kakashi asked looking sadly at the older man. "I'm going crazy over here."

"I don't know what to tell you Kakashi. Women are confusing."

"You're right about that. Have a nice day, Jiraiya."

Kakashi pulled his scarf a little tighter around his neck and walked out into the cool crisp September breeze. Soon enough they would stop getting rain and start receiving snow. A storm was brewing in the air and Kakashi could feel the electricity crackling in the air. The sky was a dull yellow gray. _Good thing I brought an umbrella, looks like it's going to be an ugly one later._ A plastic bag drifted in the wind a few feet away from him. The streets were strangely quiet that early afternoon.

…

SAKURA

…

She had vowed to avoid Kakashi at all costs. The last time Sakura had seen him was at the theatre about a month ago. She and Karin had gone to a movie and they had seen the Most Beautiful Man with a friend. Apparently Karin knew said guy friend and spent the entire movie trying to get his attention. Sakura sank lower in her seat every time Karin threw another piece of popcorn at the man's head. _What did I do to deserve this? This embarrassment? Damn it Karin, I can't take you anywhere!_ Sakura tried to focus on the movie, but her friend was making it difficult. Kakashi did look back at one point and Sakura hid her face under her arm, trying to avoid his gaze. It probably didn't work, as her pink hair was quite visible even in the dim theatre's light. Once the film was over they left right away, at Sakura's begging, to hopefully avoid the pair of men.

"What's the matter?" Karin asked.

"It's nothing…"

"Tell me..."

"It's the Most Beautiful Man, and you're being embarrassing!"

"Oh, silly! He probably didn't even see you."

"Pfft. I doubt it. You throwing popcorn at his friend, some of them were bound to hit him too."

"I have very good aim."

"It's a very normal thing to worry about!"

They hailed a cab and drove back to their apartment complex.

…

"Good evening ladies." Jiraiya greeted them as they walked in the building.

"Hey, Jiraiya!" Sakura answered.

"Where are ya coming from?"

"We went and saw a movie."

"You and Karin?"

"Yeah, why?" Jiraiya looked to the spot where Karin had been standing and she was gone.

"Ugh."

"See anything good?"

"Yeah, we went to that new Icha Icha film. Swear that author is a damn genius."

"Really? Yeah those books are pretty okay…" He looked away and Sakura could have sworn he seemed embarrassed. His cheeks had the tiniest blush on them. _Was he embarrassed by the subject matter? I thought Jiraiya did some modeling photography? Surely such a thing like that wouldn't bother him…_

"Well you have a good night Jiraiya!" Sakura waved and she moved on.

She looked up and walked to the elevator. Just as the doors were closing she tripped, and managed to shove her arm inside the doors and stop them. She fell into the elevator, and would have completely faceplanted, if not for an arm stopping her. Sakura looked up at the person who stopped her and it was the Most Beautiful Man. He was smiling sheepishly, then let go of her arm. She was so embarrassed at her clumsiness that she turned beet red. The elevator was graciously quick today, and when it beeped for five she turned around so quick she fell again on her way out of the elevator.

…

Ever since Sakura had been avoiding him. Every time she had even a possibility of seeing him, she avoided it. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator every time. She left early for work and came home late every night. One time she even hid behind Jiraiya's bar to avoid him.

Today was in the middle of September and the air outside was chilly. Sakura grabbed a light jacket before work that morning, thinking that would be enough, should something go awry.

As it was, when Sakura got off work that evening, it was really coming down. Her bike was wet, the streets were slick and the visibility out was terrible. _Remind me why I rode my bike to work today?_ _Fucking great_. Her jacket's zipper just happened to break as she was pulling it up that afternoon as well. Sakura got on her bike and started pedaling home. She was soaked through within seconds.

Sakura walked into her building and decided to say fuck it and take the elevator. _Her worst enemy_. She was soaking wet, and hoped no one was on the elevator to see her like this. And she had to wear the white shirt today. THE GOD DAMNED WHITE SHIRT. She pulled her jacket tighter around her, and it may have helped a bit, but it was also wet, she was getting cold, and you could still definitely see some boobage.

The elevator opened and she rushed onto it. It took her a few moments to realize she wasn't alone. Precisely the moment she saw that six was pushed when she leaned in to push 5. She looked behind her. The Most Beautiful Man. Was There. With Her. Sakura thought that she couldn't be looking more ratchet, and that this was just the Universe being its normal asshole self. _My makeup is total shit, my clothes are completely see through. Definitely fits the drowned rat category. Or is it a mop with eyes?_

The lights flickered and Sakura took ahold of a side bar of the elevator. Her stomach fell. _Oh god no. Not one of those cliché bullshit scenes in an elevator._ The elevator shook and shuddered, knocking them both to the floor. It came to a stop and the lights flicked out. _Fuck._ Sakura pulled out her phone and turned on her flashlight.

"H-hi. You okay?"

"Hi. I'm good." They sat awkwardly in the glow of her flashlight.

"That's good." The silence stretched.

"So… I've seen you around a few times…" He said. A slight blush crossed her cheeks. "What's your name?"

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura. But I thought you already knew that." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess I do. But it's one thing to know a name versus having someone introduce themselves."

"Well?" she looked at him questioningly.

"What?"

"What's YOUR name?" she said a little too loudly.

"It's Kakashi. Kakashi Hatake." _Definitely K.H._

"Nice to finally meet you, Kakashi." She stuck out her hand and he shook it.

"Same to you miss Sakura." The way he said her name made a shiver run down her spine and she felt even more conscious of her body.

"So. What do you do Kakashi?" He scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Well… I'm the manager at the bookstore/butler café a few blocks away."

"Really? My friend and I have been there. The food is very good and the store carries my favorite books surprisingly."

"Happy to hear we are doing our jobs well. What do you do?"

"I'm a librarian." His eyebrows raised.

"Are you like a _sexy_ librarian?"

"I'm not sure? All I do is put away books all day and try and help people who ask me questions."

"At the public library?" he asked. She nodded.

"I'll make sure to solicit there more often. And how do you like it there?" Sakura smiled.

"I love it. I've always wanted to be a librarian and this job just sort of laid itself at my feet."

"I'm happy for you. Sometimes my job is enjoyable, other times not so much." Sakura looked at the man incredulously.

"What's not to like? You have thousands of girls fawning over you every day!" she smiled.

"Yeah, that may be true… but when there's no one at home… even if you're surrounded by people all day, you can still manage to be lonely." _What a damaged soul! I just want to reach over and hug him!_

"I understand how you feel." He seemed to break out of himself at that.

"But hey! It's usually pretty okay! Usually."

"When we get out of here, what do you think about getting some coffee?" He looked surprised at her words, and to be honest she was surprised they had even come out of her mouth. She hadn't even been thinking about asking him to coffee, they just sort of hopped out of her face. A deep blush spread over her face and she was sure it was the kind of blush that creeped down her neck, and Sakura remembered her clothes were drenched and see through. She crossed her arms and hoped he wouldn't notice all the skin that blush covered.

"I'd love that." She looked up at him and he was smiling. Or at least she thought he was smiling, today he had a scarf up covering half of his face, and the phone light didn't brighten the elevator as much as a regular light would. She smiled back.

"Say, why do you wear things to cover the bottom of your face?"

"To mislead fangirls. They don't recognize me when I don't wear the mask, thank God." Sakura laughed.

"Is that _really_ the reason?" He feigned hurt.

"Sakura, do you think I'd lie to you? To a beautiful woman I just met?" She giggled.

"Mhm!" He faked a gunshot wound to his chest and pouted.

"I'm hurt, Sakura. That _wounds_ me."

"I don't know you! How can I be sure anything you say is true?"

Kakashi got a serious look in his eyes.

"I swear I'd never lie to you Sakura. I really do wear the mask to keep away fangirls. But… sometimes I also wear it to stay anonymous."

"Okay. I believe you."

"So. How do you wanna go about coffee?"

"Hmm… you could give me your number and I'll text you."

"I mean… okay!" Kakashi smiled, "You ready for the number?"

"Hold on!" Sakura turned over her phone and pulled up her keypad.

"Good!"

"It's 739-952-5200 (Take a look at what the numbers are on a phone pad ;))"

She typed that number in her phone and entered 'MBM, KAKASHI' for the name. Sakura typed hello in a blank message, and sent it to him. His phone buzzed in his hand and he opened it.

"Go your message. Number is 052-527-2580?"

"Mhm"

The lights stayed out for a few more hours, and by the time they did come back on, she had asked Kakashi if she could use him as a pillow and was already asleep on his lap.

…

KAKASHI

…

The vengeful Gods were smiling down on him today. The rain had made his work close early and he brought an umbrella with him for just that purpose. After he got home, Kakashi stopped by Jiraiya's place (his apartment was in the basement of the building, along with some laundry facilities for those tenants who did not have laundry in their apartments.), to see if he had any more reading material waiting for him. Unfortunately nothing was waiting for him there and he got back on the elevator to head upstairs.

The doors opened on the first floor/lobby and a girl barreled in dripping wet. Kakashi's eyes widened as he realized who the girl was. _Sakura_. The rain was obviously coming down still. Sakura's clothing was drenched, and Kakashi couldn't help but see through it.

 _The gentlemanly thing to do would be to look away you ASSHAT!_

The lights flickered and then went out on them. Kakashi and Sakura were thrown to the floor. Kakashi struck up a conversation and she warmed up to him. Even in their short interaction she seemed to be a funny, smart kind of girl. Her makeup may have been tragic because of the rain, but Kakashi didn't care, she still looked beautiful with her beautiful green eyes and pink hair bathed in blue light from her cellphone.

Kakashi enjoyed teasing her. Her blush was the cutest thing he'd ever seen, and he wanted to see more of it. They exchanged numbers and Kakashi was ecstatic. _He had a coffee date with his crush and he had her phone number. Could his day get any better? HE HAD HER PHONE NUMBER!_ He wanted to jump around and whoop like a little kid.

 _Maybe after our coffee date, I'll ask her out._

"Kakashi…" Sakura looked at him tiredly. "I know we just met… but I'm so tired. Can I use you as a pillow?"

Instead of answering, he just scooted against the corner and opened his arm invitingly. She crawled over to him (obviously not caring that he could see through her clothes anymore, as he was given quite the sight and a blush did coat his cheeks), and laid her head down on his lap. _He had made a horrible mistake._ He could feel how close her body was. His arm lied over her shoulder. She was snoring lightly in no time. His body wanted to respond to her cuteness but he willed it to pass.

A strand of her hair fell onto her face and Kakashi brushed it away, marveling at how serene her sleeping face looked.

The lights came back on a couple hours later, and Kakashi had no problem with that.

…

SAKURA

…

She was nervous for their coffee date. Sakura had asked Kakashi out last night and was nervous he wouldn't show up now that it was the next day.

[Hey want to meet in the lobby?] She had sent that five minutes ago and was now waiting patiently for her coffee date to show up. _Is it actually a date? Hmm…_

[I'm on my way down, sorry for a late reply. *nervous emoji*]

Sakura smiled at the message and waited for the elevator to ding.

Two minutes later it did.

They walked out the front door together, heading toward a coffee shop a few blocks away they both loved.

Over coffee, they discussed their favorite books. Icha Icha. It turned out that they both completely and utterly loved the stuff and were obsessed with the book series. They talked about their favorites (Vol. 7 Special), what plots they loved, what scenes were their favorite. And the one thing that Sakura was dying to know. _Who was the author?_

Kakashi had looked away at that question. Sakura had sniffed him out immediately and made him tell her what he knew. He was planning on telling her anyway, but teasing a blush out of her was just too irresistible.

"It's Jiraiya." Sakura's jaw dropped.

"What's he doing working as a doorman!?" Should he be on a book tour or a big publicity event for the movies or something?"

"He doesn't want that kind of life. Says he's perfectly satisfied and content where he's at. Terribly romantic if you ask me."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone knows he and Tsunade are kind of a thing."

"What!?"

"You didn't know? Oh, Sakura. How sheltered you are."

She blushed as he explained his evidence of their relationship.

The two talked for hours, even ending up walking together to an actual restaurant because they had grown hungry. Sakura felt like she had known the man for such a long time. He was like a friend she was growing incredibly comfortable with.

…

KAKASHI

…

 _1 Week Later_

…

Kiba was out sick today. So Kakashi had to fill in at the café for him. About halfway through his shift, a small commotion took his attention to the front of the cafe.

Waiting there was Sakura Haruno. The girl he was planning on asking out. Maybe tonight, maybe not?

"Hello, Madame, May I lead you to our special VIP section this evening?" she nodded and Kakashi noted her adorable blush dusting her cheeks. _So freaking adorable._

Her hand held his elbow as he directed them upstairs. Their VIP section hadn't been used in a while, and what better person than Sakura? The room was large and only held two medium sized tables. They were both covered in thick, heavy red velvet tablecloths with white lace trimming.

The chairs were white painted wood with fancy scrollwork making up the legs and the inside portion of the back. The seat and inner back of the chair were a padded dark red to compliment the tables.

Kakashi led her to one table and pulled out her chair for her to sit. He placed a menu in front of her and had another of his butlers come to keep her company.

"What can I get for you, Sakura?"

"I absolutely adore your root beer…" she said with a shy smile. Kakashi was back within a minute with her drink.

Genma was across from her, talking. She seemed to be enjoying herself, even if a bit embarrassed. She laughed and responded politely.

Kakashi personally handled all of her needs and by the end of the night, all of the butlers were there, hanging out with her.

It was definitely VIP treatment. Kakashi couldn't remember the last time they'd all treated a woman like this. He ushered his coworkers out so they could have a little alone time.

…

SAKURA

…

The butler café was a great place to meet Kakashi, and his friends. They all welcomed her kindly, unlike the girls downstairs eyeing her with nothing but envy. Sakura could tell they all thought Kakashi was the Most Beautiful Man in the world too. _And hopefully I'll be dating the Most Beautiful Man soon too… Man, Kakashi's ass looks excellent in that suit…_

Kakashi had brought her to a fancy room in the upstairs of the café, and it was positively gorgeous. He had Genma stay with her to keep her company as well. Before she knew it it was dark outside and all the butlers were upstairs chatting with her. She felt like _the_ most important person. They hung onto her every word and treated her with the utmost respect.

After the restaurant had closed, Kakashi shooed the rest of the butlers out of the room. They grumbled and left the two alone. (Sakura thought they probably secretly just hung out outside of the door, listening.)

Kakashi set two pieces of cake down on the table and slid one over to Sakura. She took the cake and a fork he handed to her.

He watched her, waiting to see her reaction to the first bite.

She took a bite, and relished at the moist thickness of the spongy cake. It was a thick strawberry cake that Sakura felt delirious eating.

"Oh my god, this is the best cake I've ever eaten!" Kakashi pulled down his mask and started eating his.

"I'm so glad you like it." He smiled at her and she felt her heart skip a beat. _Oh lord don't let those ladies downstairs see your face without a mask… they'll never leave you alone!_

Sakura continued eating her cake and they were both finished before they knew it. Kakashi leaned back in his chair and sucked the last bit of cake off his fork. He licked his lips, and Sakura caught herself staring. She looked away and placed her fork on her plate.

"Sakura."

"M?"

"Would you go out with me?"


	7. I Get a Kick Out of You

Chapter 7

I Get a Kick Out of You

Thanks so much for all your feedback guys!

BTW if you're a Kakasaku love don't forget to check out our discord group!

WARNING

WARNING

WARNING

MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING FOR KIDNAPPING, ABUSE, ETC.

IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO READ THESE THINGS, PLEASE SKIP THIS CHAPTER **AND** THE NEXT ONE.

THANK YOU

KARIN

…

 _So they finally got together! Hehehe…_ Karin thought to herself as she listened at her door. Kakashi was dropping off Sakura after their date. What she could make out was just adorable.

"So… uh… can we go out again sometime?"

"Uh… yeah!"

"Okay…"

"Mm"

"Bye then."

"Bye Kakashi."

 _So adorable. Those dorks._ Karin pulled out her phone and saw she had a missed call from her agency. _Fuck_ She called them back.

"Karin."

"Hi."

"We have a new one. Up to training?"

"Hell yeah! Send their number over."

"Thanks girl, we expect the best from you, as always."

Karin waited for the number to come to her inbox and pushed call. The number was recognized by her phone as already existing as one of her contacts. _It was Sasuke_. Karin's cheeks grew red and she let the ringing continue. _Just be professional. Don't let yourself be the crushing girl, you are the dominatrix Poison Ivy._

"H-hi?"

"Sasuke?"

"Karin!? Wh-what's up?" Karin loved his little stutter. Ever since Sakura had told her that Sasuke had also had something for her, every chance she got she tried to embarrass the boy, and man was it easy. _At least he hadn't hung up on her that would not be easy to explain to the boss. 'Yeah the guy you sent over? He's like totally my crush.'_

 _"_ Well, I just got this call from my agency. Maybe you should come over? It's a way better experience to first start training in person. Apt number 508 Konoha Towers. 30 minutes." She hung up the phone and ran to get ready.

 _Oh the world this boy is about to experience! I do wonder how he got into all of it though…_.

She ran a loving hand over all of her leather corsets hanging in her closet and picked her favorite, a dark brown leather, with matching stockings and a very very thin silk robe. As she walked to her bathroom to take a shower, Karin looked at the various tools on display on her wall. _I think we will be having lots of fun here._

…

KAKASHI

…

[Kakashi. Can you come over?] Sakura

[Sure. Give me 5 minutes]

Kakashi took the stairs to Sakura's apartment that afternoon, curious to what the girl might need. They had just gone on their second date a few days ago. This time to a little ramen place on the other side of town that was to die for. He knocked on her door and she opened it right away.

"Kakashi." She didn't sound pleased.

"Sakura. What's the matter?"

"Well. I was hoping you could tell me." Ge grabbed an envelope off her coffee table and handed it to him, "I received this before our last date, and I didn't think anything of it, but I've got this strange feeling about it." Kakashi took it and sat on her couch. The note was written on a heavier type of cardstock, with lacy pink flowers on it.

 _Miss Sakura_

 _Please know you have overstepped your boundaries. You should leave Kakashi-kun if you know what is good for you. Staying with him will be nothing but trouble for you._

 _The Geneva Party_

The note wasn't particularly giving. Kakashi knew who it was from. _They were back at it. God damn it. They couldn't be the same girls as last time could they?_ He laid the note back down and looked at her.

"It's from my fangirls. They're most likely harmless."

"Most likely?"

"They might prank you or start some sort of gossip. Relatively minor and harmless stuff." A slight prickle made his neck hairs stand up on end. _Why do I get the feeling this isn't just nothing?_ He shrugged it off.

"Anyway. You going to be okay?" He felt a blush cross his cheeks, though for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why he should be embarrassed. "You aren't going to do what they say are you?" Sakura scoffed.

"Absolutely not. I'm not going to let some stupid fangirls ruin the best thing that's ever happened to me." She grew silent after she realized what she had said. His blush grew down his neck, and he was grateful that he had been wearing a mask and she couldn't see it.

"Good."

He kissed her cheek and promised to talk to her the next day.

…

He never got that chance. Kakashi sent her a few messages, but decided to leave it alone, just in case she needed some space. _God knows I'd be a bit weirded out by hostile fangirls_.

When Karin told him she had missed their dinner date, Kakashi worried some. When they knocked on her door and she didn't answer, they started to panic. When Kakashi tried her door and it was open, he knew something was wrong. The living room was immaculate. Nothing was out of place. There were no signs of anyone having been there. Besides the offending note still in the middle of the coffee table. Neither Kakashi nor Karin could figure it out, Karin may have been a deep sleeper, but she didn't hear anything. Kakashi slept right above her and didn't notice even a peep.

 _If they do something to her and I don't make it in time…_ His eyes pricked at the thought. _No. those girls are in prison. It couldn't be them… right?_

…

SAKURA

…

She had gone to bed that night only slightly worried. _Kakashi had reassured her that she had nothing to worry about, that they were stupid little girls pranking her._ Just to be sure, she had double and triple checked all her locks in the apartment before she went to bed. She finally managed to sleep, trusting that no one could get through Jiraiya _and_ all those locks. She just couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Around midnight Sakura awoke to a hand over her mouth. It was strangely heavy, even though Sakura knew it was a female hand. There were others holding down her limbs. Sakura couldn't move. She tried to see her attackers but all she saw was a smiling V mask before they pressed a cloth to her mouth and she fell into black.

…

Upon waking up, Sakura tasted a disgusting sweet taste in her mouth. Her head ached and her throat was dry. She desperately needed to use the restroom, just like everyone does right when they wake up. But she wasn't in her home, wasn't waking up to throw off her comfortable sheets. Her hands were tied behind her, and the back of a chair. Her ankles were similarly tied to the chair legs. Luckily she wasn't gagged or blindfolded. So she took the opportunity to look around.

 _Great. How cliché. I'm in a warehouse._

Soon after she woke up, a girl joined her.

"Hello, Sakura." The woman was a stranger. She was average height with auburn curls and a petite body.

"Ugh. Hi?" She croaked out, her throat aching for water.

"I'm sure you know why you're here?" The girl gripped Sakura's chin and looked her over before shoving her face away from her in disgust.

"No. I assure you. I cannot account for this honor _at all_."

"Bitch! That sarcasm with get you nowhere. We know you got the note. And you still saw him after. And we know you had no intentions of leaving him. WE KNOW!"

"You don't know shit." The girl walked back to Sakura and slapped her face.

"We'll see about that, slut. Just you wait. He'll never want you when we're done with you."

The girl left.

Sakura _really_ had to pee.

 _Damn it._

…

KAKASHI

…

He and Karin were determined to go to the police and they did. An officer came to her apartment, but as there were no signs of trouble, he couldn't do anything, and the note had mysteriously disappeared while they were gone, and the door was relocked.

"But we were just in there…"

"How long has she been missing?" The officer sounded bored and disinterested. Kakashi wanted to punch him through the wall.

"Probably only a day or so."

"Well we can't do anything until she's been missing at least 48 hours."

The man clapped Kakashi on the back and gave him a half-assed sympathetic look and walked back to the elevator. _Fucking cops_.

Kakashi went back to his apartment and started pacing.

[Minato, do you remember anything from the last time?]

[Not much. I thought they all were locked away?]

[I thought so too. But this feels too much like last time.]

[I'll keep an eye out on any suspiciousness here, you keep looking. No need to worry about work while this is happening. You've got more important things to do with your time.]

{Thank you Minato.]

There was nothing Kakashi could do but walk the streets looking for her. _If I were to kidnap someone, where would I take them? A basement? An isolated area for sure._ He was drawing a blank.

 _The second something good happens to me, and it's stolen from my very grasp! I will get her back if it's the last thing I do!_

He walked determinedly all over the neighborhood, flashing a picture Karin had given him of Sakura to everyone around. The results weren't what he had hoped for. Nobody knew her outside of the girl who came home messy every day or the girl who worked at the library or the one with pink hair. They only remembered her flashingly, nothing recent.

Kakashi asked Jiraiya, but he hadn't seen anyone. So they hadn't come through the front door. _How did they manage to get her out then? He couldn't possibly be lying could he?_ Kakashi shook his head for even thinking it, Jiraiya would never lie to him.

He decided to go back to his apartment and wait. He couldn't think of anything else. And he felt like shit. _You feel like shit? Imagine how she must feel, Hatake. . . yeah you're right._

…

SAKURA

…

Sakura spend the next hour or two trying to hold her pee, then decided to give up. _Better to feel gross than to get an infection or something._ The relief was almost enough for her to not care about sitting in her own nasty. She was only wearing a t-shirt and panties, leaving little for Sakura to hide with. _What if I never get out? They said what again? They'd remove me? That there'd be trouble? I can't remember. What if I never see my parents again? Or Kakashi?_

She struggled against her bindings but gave up quickly, the knots were tight and the rope was rough hemp, leaving splinters in her wrists and ankles. They stung and tears pricked her eyes. _Do not cry, that's just what they want._ She took in a deep breath, and tried to go back to sleep. _I wish this was all just a dream._ After a few more hours she finally fell asleep.

A bucked of water being thrown at her was what Sakura woke up to. She was shocked awake.

"Slut. That'll clean you up." The buck _had_ had enough water to wash most of the urine off of her. Sakura chose to stay silent.

"Aren't you happy slut? Or would you rather be a pig and lay in your own shit?" Sakura kept her mouth shut. This girl had long straight black hair and serious case of Resting Bitch Face. The girl came up to her and scraped a long fake nail across her cheek.

"What _does_ Kakashi-kun see in you. Just a filthy, selfish, _slut_." She scraped her nails across Sakura's face, hard enough to leave marks but not draw blood. "You aren't even pretty. That is hair is just positively _gaudy_. It looks like a highlighter threw up on you." The dark haired woman pulled her hair and gnashed her teeth at Sakura.

"Since you're such a slut… I don't think you need those clothes after all… do you? You just love people looking at your naked body, don't you, slut?" The woman smiled at her and gave her a pouty face. "Why don't I get rid of them for you?" She let go of Sakura and pulled a knife out of her pocket. "I know… this will do. _Perfectly_." Her wide smile made Sakura fear for her life. _Oh God, she's got a knife, and is going to kill me right now, isn't she._

As the woman approached her, Sakura couldn't help a slight tremble that shook through her body. The lady clicked the razor blade up two notches before she pointed it at her. Sakura tried to stay calm, but she knew the tears weren't far.

The woman grabbed a fistful of her damp shirt and pulled her close.

"Don't move, SAKURA. I Could. Just. Cut. You. You stink." The knife was there on her skin, tracing from her neck down to her shirt collar. She pulled the knife sharply against eh material and it sliced right through, the collar, the sleeve, everything. Sakura gulped. The shoulder portion slid down her back and Sakura hoped the front wouldn't slip yet. The woman repeated the action on the other side and tore the fabric to shreds. Sakura's upper body was left exposed.

Sakura couldn't help the blush that covered her cheeks. The girl in front of her moved to cut her panties, but stopped when she heard Sakura start crying.

"What's wrong? SLUT. You've been naked with him before, haven't you? You've probably stripped for him every night. You dirty whore." The girl groped Sakura's breasts roughly, holding the knife dangerously close to her skin.

"That's fine, I didn't want them anyway. They're covered in slut juices, I might contract something from touching them…" She crinkled her nose.

"And they stink."

She pinched her nose and walked out, laughing.

Sakura had never felt more mortified in her life.

…

KAKASHI

…

After the 48 hours were up, Kakashi went back to the police. Surely they had to help him now. He had to wait a while before an officer was finally able to help him. The man was kind, a bit intimidating, with his large moustache and piercing eyes. He was luckily a nice man than he looked and was more understanding than the previous one. He processed the report and said he'd do what he could for the man.

Kakashi thanked him and left. _Hopefully they will have more luck than I did._

…

SAKURA

..

The next time someone came to her it was an old man with a tiny packet of crackers. He opened them and fed her. The crackers were stale and with how dry her mouth was, they barely went down. Sakura was grateful for the small act of kindness and cried herself back to sleep.

…

A pain in her gut wrenched Sakura awake. It had been a fist connecting with her stomach. Her eyes bugged out and she grunted at the pain.

"Things are about to get serious, slut." The auburn curled lady sneered at her, breathing smoke from a lit cigarette in her face. Sakura chocked on the smoke and it stung her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Should I put this out?" The girl took another drag and added to the cloud around Sakura's head. She flicked the ash on Sakura's leg and it burned. She bit her lip and waited.

"Kakashi's looking for you. Can't imagine why." The girl's voice was acid. On her other leg a shocking, stabbing pain filled her senses, made black spots flash in the back of her eyes. She looked down and the woman was grinding the cigarette into her leg. Sakura let go of her lip and let out a scream.

"We're finally getting somewhere."

The girl smashed her cigarette against Sakura's leg and backed off.

"Show her how it feels ladies. Take it all out on the slut. She needs to be taught a lesson." The rest of her groupies, there had to be at least 5 of them, were on her in seconds. The acts they committed were horrid and inhumane. They spat on her, pulled her hair, molested every inch of her body. But the worst things they had saved for another time. By the time they had left, Sakura was covered in swelling, angry, bruises, cuts, burns and her own tears and filth. She was reduced to a sniffling mess and there was no dignity to her situation. Her leg ached, someone had rubbed something awful into the cigarette burn. Her body was cramping after having been in the same position for so long.

 _How long have I been here?_

They had given her nothing to drink, beyond what water got in her mouth from the bucket thrown at her. And her throat was achingly dry. Her screams hadn't helped. They hadn't lasted long either. They had only egged the attackers on and hurt her throat more with every second.

That night they turned the lights off. Or at least Sakura thought it was night. There were no windows in the room, only dim yellow lights along the length of the walls, up about 15 feet. The pain was too much and Sakura let the darkness consume her.

She awoke to the smell of burning hair. Her eyes snapped open and looked up. It was the curly auburn one again. She had a chunk of Sakura's hair in her fist and was waving a lighter over the ends, trying to light it. It obviously wasn't the first place she had started either as there was quite a bit of pink hair on the floor. The piece of hair in the girls hand started smoking and Sakura tried to yank her hair out of the woman's grasp. It didn't work, it only made Sakura's scalp hurt more than it already did.

The girl laughed and twisted her fist, pulling the hair tighter and tighter before tugging her hand viciously away, taking a good chuck of hair with it. Sakura felt the urge to cry, but her eyes had dried up and she willed herself to silence. Her throat hurt anyway.

 _I hope someone comes soon, I don't know what more I can take._

And then it all got worse.

The girls were gone.

They had gotten bored with her.

Their boss came in then.

…

"Hello… Ssakura-chan."

Thanks again for reading you guys! Sorry it took such a turn for the dark!

REMEMBER IF YOU SKIPPED READING THiS CHAPTER! THE NEXT ONE ALSO HAS SOME BAD THINGS IN IT.  
IF YOU WISH TO SKIP THE NEXT CHAPTER ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS SAKURA WAS KIDNAPPED, THEY TOOK A WEEK FINDING HER, AND SHE'S A LITTLE MENTALLY FUCKED UP NOW.

THAT'S ALL

Thanks you guys!

Love

Liz


	8. They Can't Take That Away From Me

Chapter 8

They Can't Take That Away From Me

Thanks for reading you guys! I promise all the dark nasty is done and over with I repeat THIS CHAPTER IS SAFE THIS CHAPTER IS SAFE.

Good.

Now.

Thanks for all the positive response! I always love you guys who review my work.

You're the best.

…

KAKASHI

…

It had been almost a week and Kakashi still hadn't heard anything. He was really starting to worry about the girl. Even if they'd only been on a few dates. _Maybe Karin knows something?..._

[Karin. You heard anything?]

[KAKASHI. I was just about to call you! Come over here and I'll show you what I found.]

He rushed out of his room and down the stairs to the5th floor. Kakashi didn't know how to feel… Either a massive heavy dread or elation.

He rose his hand to knock on her door, but she opened it before he could make contact.

"Kakashi. In. Now." He obeyed immediately, sensing something was very serious.

"What did you find, Karin?"

"Well… I know I'm not proud of it, but I follow some sites that are…well, part of the deep web. They're purely for work purposes, truly. And… I swear I saw a live feed of Sakura last night." They sat on her couch and Karin pulled the page up on her laptop. The website was so… sketchy, that there wasn't even a name at the top, just panels upon panels of horrible acts, displayed for those equally dark viewers. She clicked on one and Kakashi knew immediately it was Sakura. She was tied to a chair, her clothing missing and covered in bruises and cuts. She looked _extremely_ tired, defeated, and hung her head limply.

The camera cut to a scene where they had her tied up spread-eagle and were hitting her, kicking her and …. Kakashi had to look away.

"Kakashi. There. There's the man. He's the one behind it all."

He looked back and the blood chilled in his veins. He knew the man. He recognized him.

"Do you know him?"

"Yes."

"Orochimaru." He looked at Karin seriously, "Have you told the police yet?"

"No."

"Let's go."

…

24 Hours later Kakashi was in a police car on his way to a warehouse on the outskirts of town in an abandoned, slummy neighborhood. _This would be the perfect place for a kidnapping._ The officer in the front was talking to him.

"Now. When we get there. DO NOT BARGE IN. They might try and harm the hostage."

"I Understand." The man pressed a gun to his hand.  
"I hope you won't need it, but just in case."

"Thanks."

"So what we're going to do is send one of our men in through a side door or a vent, attempt to find her without being seen, and sneak her out."

"Okay." Kakashi was nervous and worried. When they arrived at the warehouse, there were no vehicles around. Not even one for the other police assumed to be there. No people, no movement, it was all surreal. Still. It looked like the site hadn't even been touched in the last twenty years.

"You sure this is the place?" He asked.

"Certain." The two waited in the car for a signal that the building was all clear. About 20 minutes later a man came out and waved for them to come in. They got out and entered the building. Kakashi felt a strange awareness as they walked in. _We are not alone_. Sakura was tied to a chair in the middle of the room, naked and passed out.

Kakashi heard three gun shots before he entered the room, and the cops in front of him dropped. Either dead or stunned enough to go down. Kakashi backed up from the entrance and rounded the corner to look for the shooter. The attacker was in the opposite corner from him. Apparently he had moved there after the first cop scanned the building. The attacker was dressed like another cop. Made sense why the first cop didn't assume he was an enemy right away. Obviously he wasn't a true officer. The man had ink black hair and a creepy blank white face. He had the gun pointed at him and smiled.

"Kakashi-kun. Just. What. I. Wanted." He dropped the gun and turned to look up. "Girls!" As he looked away, Kakashi took out his gun. All he needed to do was take this man down. Then Sakura. _And his best friend_. Would be avenged. He aimed the gun at Orochimaru and pulled the trigger.

The man went down, but he wasn't dead. Kakashi aimed to take a second more lethal shot.

"Wait. I have. Information. On your friend. Obito." The man gasped out.

"What more could you possibly tell me that I don't already know you bastard piece of shit." Kakashi didn't wait for Orochimaru to respond and pulled the trigger another time, and another, and another. He didn't stop until the chamber was empty. The man on the ground was covered in blood and definitely dead. _It's over. It's finally over. Obito you can finally rest knowing the man who was behind your killing is finally dead._

Kakashi heard a groan come from the officers. The one that had driven him here was lying still on the ground. The scout was getting up. He didn't want to know if the man was dead. The man who had believed him. Had helped him. He couldn't think about it. _Sakura. Just think about getting Sakura to help now._

He turned and walked to her limp body. _Please still be alive. Please please still be alive. I don't think I can take any more death._ He pulled up her chin to look at her poor bruised face. She was barely recognizable. Chunks of her hair were missing and he vowed to fix that with a haircut when they were done here. She was covered in cuts, bruises, and several burns. Kakashi vaguely heard the cop calling an ambulance. Sakura winced at his actions. _Oh thank God she's still alive._

"Sakura it's going to be okay, I'm here. _"_ He started trying to untie her knots. They were tight and made of harsh hemp rope. They were prickly and gave him splinters. Tears were running down his face and he felt like he was failing. A tap on his shoulder made him look up. The cop was giving him a knife.

"Thank you." He nodded and went to cutting the rope on her other ankle. Kakashi carefully but purposely cut through her bindings, and once she was free, he held her against his chest, mumbling that he was there and everything would be okay now. _Now that she's with me. Everything will be all right._

The ambulance arrived and they put the shot down cop and Sakura on it. The scout cop stayed behind to figure out what Orochimaru had meant by 'Girls' and to deal with the body. His coworker didn't look to well. Kakashi hoped he wouldn't be a DOA. The EMTs let him get in the ambulance with him and he just blankly stared as they led him into the giant box of a vehicle.

He had never ridden in an ambulance and before and was nervous. It felt to him like it either took no time at all or all the time in the world to get to the hospital. The EMTS were doing everything they could for Sakura, cleaning her wounds, stabilizing her, checking for internal bleeding or head wounds. Kakashi was incredibly proud she had lasted so long. _Obito had not been so fortunate._ She was an extremely strong woman.

Upon arrival at the hospital they took her to the operating room right away. Kakashi didn't catch all of what they said. Just parts and pieces. _Internal bleeding… possible head trauma… infection…_ His head swam and he took a chair in the waiting room. Kakashi was stuck waiting. And he had had enough of waiting. Waiting for the police to find Obito's dead body. Waiting for them to believe him that she was gone. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. It was then he noticed the tears running down his face. He hadn't been with Sakura very long, but she was special to him. He felt he could really open up and be himself around her. _When we get out of this, I'm going to spend every waking moment I can with her._

 _Just pull through, Sakura. You can do this._

It seemed like forever before he got news of her.

"Sir? The woman you came in with?"

"Yes!?" He jumped out of his seat in a second. The doctor smiled and took his hands.

"She's doing great, sir. She did have internal bleeding and some infection but we stopped it and started her on a line of antibiotics. Luckily she did not have any brain trauma as is very common in these cases. She's going to be just fine, she's a strong one." Kakashi couldn't help the tears streaming down his face.

"T-thank you! C-can I see her?" He was full blown sobbing at this point. _You look like such a pansy Kakashi… I don't care… she's alive that's all that matters._

"She's still out, which is good so her body can recover quicker, but she should come out of it in the next few hours. Don't be alarmed if she still sleeps even after the anesthesia wears off. Her body is weak right now."

Kakashi allowed himself a weak smile. He couldn't get to her room fast enough. They had cleaned her up and dressed her in a hospital gown. She still looked like she'd been to hell and back, but at least she was clean and she looked comfortable. At least she wasn't put through anything more. She had an IV drip in her arm, but at least she was breathing on her own. _I don't know what I'd do if they had killed you Sakura. I caused this. I'll stay til you wake up, and if you tell me to go… I'll go._ He sighed. Kakashi really hoped she wouldn't do that.

He lost track of time as he sat there, eventually passing out, lying his head on the edge of her bed. He awoke to Sakura weakly squeezing his hand.

"Kakashi." She whispered. His head snapped up.

"Sakura. Are you feeling alright?" She nodded and he smiled at her gently.

"Do you want me to get you anything? Do you want me to leave?" She looked at him incredulously. "W-water." Her voice was croaky. Kakashi grabbed the cup the hospital had provided on the tray at the foot of the bed and brought it to her mouth to drink. She downed the whole thing. She smiled.

"Thanks. And why would you think I'd want you to leave?"

"It's my fault. I felt horrible when I found out. You probably never want to see me again with what those horrible girls did to you. And they did it because of your relationship with me. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Don't worry about it. I told you, you're the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm not going to let some prissy bitches get the best of me. I'm just worried that they might get away with it."

A voice from the doorway drew their attention.

"No need to worry, ma'am." It was the officer from the building. "We have that all under control. We got the names of those suspected from Minato, at the café." He smiled. "They won't be hurting anyone else anymore. They are going away for a long time. And Orochimaru. Is Dead." He turned to Kakashi.

"I know you probably had some sort of history with the man, but you've done the world a great service. We've been trying to pin that creep down for years now."

"Trust me, it was not a problem."

The officer bid them farewell and Kakashi sighed.

"I thought I'd never see you again."

"I thought I'd never see daylight again. And now, thanks to you, I get to live. You've now seen me at my very worst. I hope you'll never see me so low every again."

"Sakura. I hope so too. I don't think my heart can take another kidnapping. That. And I think you're beautiful all the time, and I don't think any less of you, regardless of your appearance at any time."

She blushed.

Kakashi smiled.

And for the next week he never left her side. (Well, except for changing into clean clothes retrieved by Karin.)

…

SAKURA

…

After a week of recovery in the hospital, Sakura went home. Kakashi accompanied her. He hadn't left her side the entire time she was in the hospital and refused to leave until he knew she was safe.

They rode the elevator together and waiting in Sakura's apartment were several people. Tsunade, Jiraiya, Sakura's parents, Karin, Ino, Hinata and a few others were there.

"Welcome Home Sakura!" They all shouted as she walked in. All of them hugged her and greeted her and asked about how she was a thousand and one times. She was honestly recovering quite well and most of the bruises has already healed or were on their way. The only things left were getting a haircut, which no one mentioned (Sakura was grateful) and the giant burn on the inside of her thigh where the cigarette had infected the wound. Someone had brought food and they all ate and were merry for a few hours. Slowly they all filtered out, leaving just Sakura, Kakashi and her parents.

"Sakura." Her mother began, "Your father and I… we...we want you to come home."  
"Wait what?" Sakura replied.

"We want you to leave town and come recuperate at home for a while."

"What will I tell my work? What about my apartment?"

"I'm sure they'd understand, Sakura. Tsunade is practically family. We just want what's best for you, baby girl. Please consider it. We just want you safe." She sighed.

"I just got home, I'll think about it. Okay?" Sakura was a bit short with her. Her parents fell silent and nodded their understanding.

"All right, Sakura. We love you." They left.

Kakashi sat down on Sakura's couch and beckoned her to join him.

"Come sit with me, Sakura."

"Gladly." She was tired from so many people being there. She wasn't proud of snapping at her parents, but god damn it she could take care of herself.

"I wish they would just treat me like a fucking adult."

"They just worry about you. I'm sure they'll worry less after a few weeks have passed."

"You're probably right." And she was drifting to sleep. The warmth Kakashi gave off was delectable. He smelled slightly of hospital soap and his laundry detergent. _He's so warm…_ She was out within minutes.

…

KAKASHI

…

Kakashi let her sleep on him for a while before slowly getting up and carrying her to the bedroom. He had thought about leaving, but decided to nap on her couch just in case she didn't want to be alone. _Or had more of those nightmares like in the hospital._ _I swear they had to be worse than mine after seeing Obito's body… or what was left of it._

 _They hadn't found his body until it was too late. The people who had kidnapped him had lit the building on fire as well and it was collapsing. He didn't make it in to find Obito's body until after the building's fire had settled and everything was smog and grey and ash. He spent hours digging and looking until he found it. Half of his best friend's body had been smashed by a falling rafter and the other half was mutilated beyond belief. Chunks of flesh were missing either having been cut or burned out. There were puncture wounds everywhere and it was all burnt. He was barely able to tell it had one been his friend. The mostly gone black hair and the halfway closed red eye were all he could see of his old friend. The nightmares had come a couple of nights later_

 _Kakashi wasn't sure when they had ended. If they had at all. Sometimes they still struck him out of the blue. And Obito wasn't the only one killed in that incident. He hadn't found out until later, but his and Obito's childhood friend Rin had though Kakashi had run into the fire to find Obito. She hadn't made it out. His two best friends in the world and it was his fault they were dead._

Kakashi's throat was tight at the memories, and he willed himself not to cry. Her couch was comfortable and he fell asleep soon after.

A few hours later a tugging at his shirt woke him up. Sakura was sitting on the floor next to him, lying her head on the couch cushion and pulling at his shirt.

"Kakashiii…"

"Hn? What's the matter, Sakura?"

She blushed and looked away.

"Will you stay with me tonight? I don't think I want to be alone at night yet." He hugged her as well he could from the awkward angle and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll stay, Sakura. For as long as you want me to."

"Thank you, Kakashi." He could hear the tears in her voice.

"Are you having nightmares?" She nodded almost imperceptibly. "Do you want something to eat? Sometimes food makes me feel a bit better."

"I could eat something I guess." She sniffed and sat there. Kakashi's heart throbbed at how cute and yet how vulnerable she was. _If only my stupid brain would stop thinking about sexing her up. As if sex would comfort you. You're probably so scarred from that experience. If it would help I'd rail her right now, but it won't. … God I'm such a pervert. Think about food Kakashi. Food. Food only._ He got up and walked to Sakura's kitchen to scare up some food. The most edible thing he found was some noodles and pasta sauce. It was obvious she had needed to go grocery shopping even before the kidnapping, and anything that she had already in the fridge had gone off. _I should just bring down my groceries, I bought way too many when I was there last week._ There was some frozen sausage type thing in the freezer and he took that out to throw in it as well. There was a little soda left over from the party that afternoon and he split it amongst the two of them.

Kakashi put on a pot of water to boil for the noodles and took their soda back to the living room. He handed Sakura her cup and she took a sip. She was still sitting on the floor, kneeling with her feet turned out. Kakashi always thought that looked like the most uncomfortable position to sit in, but she didn't seem to be in pain. He walked back to the kitchen.

Soon the apartment was filled with the scents of cooking meat. Kakashi had just added the noodles to the pot of water and the meat was almost done cooking. He rooted through her kitchen for some plates and silverware, trying to remember where everything was, should he need to stay there for a while. He found the plates and bowls in a cupboard on the left of the sink, the cups on the right, and silverware in the top left hand drawer. On Sakura's counter was an old jar, its label warn almost completely off from washing it, that had some grease in the bottom of it, so Kakashi drained the excess off the sausage into it. He closed the jar and set the pan back on the stove. The meat started sizzling again right away, and he added the jar of pasta sauce to the pan. _What else was there for the sauce? Hmm… Italian seasoning, garlic, … SUGAR!_ Kakashi remembered seeing some sugar above the stove and took out a couple teaspoons of the stuff for the sauce. _Perfect_.

He finished preparing the food, and brought himself and Sakura's plates to the living room coffee table.

"Food's done." She looked up, surprised as he sat down across from her. Apparently she had been spacing off.

"Thanks, Kakashi." Sakura took the fork he offered and started eating. She looked to be starved. Hospital food was nothing compared to a home-cooked meal. Kakashi smiled.

"It's nothing, Sakura. Eat up, there's plenty."

"I plan to." She forked a rather large bite into her mouth. Kakashi chuckled.

"You know, we haven't known each other that long, but I'd seriously do anything for you." She paused with her mouth full, mid chew. He laughed. What a cute moment.

"Do you like it?" She blushed and squirmed, trying to get the bite down. _Success. I just love the way she looks when she blushes._

"Y-yes. It's good. Where did you get the meat? I thought I didn't have any." She tilted her head.

"In the back of the freezer? I'm not sure, was that okay?"

"I'm sure its fine. Are _you_ sure I'm not asking too much of you? I feel like I'm depending too much on you."

"Sakura-chan," he took her free hand with one of his. "I'm here because I want to be. Stop thinking I don't. I don't do anything against my own free will." Her blush deepened, slowly creeping down her neck.

"Sorry." She took another extra -large bite, but this time the food went down the wrong pipe. He could tell she didn't want to cough, in order to not embarrass herself further, but he could see her eyes tear up. Kakashi leaned over the table and smacked her back a couple times to attempt to loosen the foods hold on her throat. A bit of spittle came out of her sauce stained lips, but Kakashi didn't care. She was hilarious when she was embarrassed.

"Don't get too crazy, honey, or you'll hurt yourself. I don't know about you but I hate hospitals."

"Huh? Yeah… Wait. What did you just call me? Honey?"

"Uh. Oh. Yeah. I guess I did. Sorry?"

"You're okay. _Honey._ "

"And now we sound like a deranged married couple."

"Definitely deranged if anything." Kakashi forked a bite of spaghetti in his mouth before he could say anything else that was stupid. The pasta was delicious. _That sugar really is just_ THE _secret for good spaghetti sauce. Mmm…_ He closed his eyes and enjoyed the real food. Hospital food really has nothing on this. He heard a small chuckle and he opened his eyes with a snap. Sakura was looking at him and smiling.

"You're really adorable. You know that? It's like the kind of face someone might make while…" She trailed off… Her cheeks were so red, if they could have caught fire, they would have.

"Might make while what… Sakura-chan?" He said after swallowing his food.

"Might make during… you know…" And Kakashi definitely _knew_.

"What is… _you know_ … Sakura-channn." She took several bites to avoid speaking to him. She wouldn't meet his eyes for a full minute and she had almost finished her food before responding.

"You're so mean, Kakashi!" Kakashi smiled and took another bite. She was quiet after that, finishing off her food, her face and neck beet red with a steamy blush. Kakashi chuckled to himself. _You really are such an ass, Kakashi… I know…_

"But Sakuraaaa… I really wanna know…." She looked down at the floor, and in the tiniest squeaky mouse voice ever heard, she said,

"While…. Making love…" Kakashi was silent then. He felt his skin get warm and knew his own cheeks were read now. And since his mask was down to eat, she could see all if it, if she looked.

"w-wouldn't you like to know…" Kakashi whispered. He knew he had gone too far now. He braced himself for the slap across the face he knew was coming.

And it didn't come. He peeked open an eye and she was staring at him.

"Maybe I would." Kakashi could have sworn steam was coming out of her eyes at that point. _Holy shit, what?_ She took her plate to the kitchen and fled to her room, flopping on the bed, but not shutting the door. She pulled the covers over her with a hmph and Kakashi was confused as ever. _Do I join her? No. I think I like where this is going, but shouldn't I just wait until she's back to 100%?_

…

SAKURA

…

I CANNOT BELIEVE I SAID THAT TO HIM. _What am I doing? I just got out of the hospital! I should NOT be thinking about sex!_ Her face had practically melted off and she was just waiting to die. _You'll have to face him at some point Sakura…. Just not until tomorrow. God. You just fucking choked on spaghetti in front of him and practically jumped him! Like a fucking slutty two-year-old!_

Sakura shook her head and snuggled into her sheets. She was grateful to be home in her own bed. At least her sheets never judged her. The blankets always accepted her without complaint at the end of the day. She was asleep within minutes. _Mmm… how would it feel if Kakashi was here with me…? You can bet there wouldn't be any sleeping happening! … You are so perverted, Sakura._

Her sleep wasn't perfect however. Her nightmares were indeed haunting her. She would dream she was back in the warehouse and her rescue was all a dream. That Kakashi had never come for her. Her mind let her see what it would be like to die there, dehydrated and starving, naked and humiliated, alone, abandoned. Completely and utterly alone tied to that chair. She woke up screaming. Tears streamed down her cheeks and Kakashi peeked around the corner in an instant.

"Are you okay?" He sounded concerned.

"Just. Just a dream." He came into the room and sat on the opposite side of her bed. "I'm here if you want to talk any time, Sakura. For anything you need." Sakura hugged him from behind and lied her head on his back.

"Please stay next to me." _Pervert Sakura._

"I will." Kakashi squeezed her hand and they stayed like that until he felt her body go limp against him in sleep. Kakashi tucked her into her bed and joined her, sleeping on top of the sheets to be polite.

They both passed out.

….

KAKASHI

…

 _What torture it is to lie net to the girl you like in bed and not be able to touch her beyond a hug._ Sakura had awoken once more in the night to another nightmare. Kakashi had wiped her tears away and she hugged him close to her. This time he didn't keep his distance and just held her. _Anything for her. Anything at all. I'm just so lucky she hasn't realized it's all my fault and kicked me out. I hope my body doesn't betray me and my dirty thoughts._

Sakura didn't have any more dreams after that. In the morning, Kakashi woke up before Sakura. They were snuggled _very_ close, and unfortunately, Kakashi's body had definitely betrayed him. _Oh god, please let her not notice_. She was curled up into him, her knees to her chest and her arms snuggled up to his chest. _She's so beautiful_. He stroked her face with his hand, careful to avoid the bruises. Kakashi snuck out of bed.

He walked to her bathroom. _Need to get rid of this._ He didn't want to do anything so dirty in her bathroom, so he tried to just will it away. And it helped. So he went to the kitchen to cook something for breakfast.

Like the previous night, there wasn't much in the kitchen. He found some eggs and made them an easy breakfast of toast and eggs. Not too complicated. He found a tray and put their plates on it, and walked them to the bedroom. Sakura was just waking up, rubbing her eyes. Her hair was a mess, slightly curled here and there with lovely tufts defying gravity in the back.

"Good morning, sunshine. Breakfast?" She peeked at him with one eye.

"I think I'm gunna keep you." She propped herself up with some pillows, and Kakashi joined her in bed.

"So what do you want to do today?" He asked, piling egg onto his toast.

"Nothing."

"Ugh. That sound so good," Kakashi took a bite of egg. "Want me to grab some groceries from my place? There's not much here that hasn't gone bad." She nodded, her toast halfway in her mouth.

"Mhm."

"Is this enough?"

"Definitely. Thanks for being here Kakashi."  
"No problem." _Guess you must not have noticed how it's completely and utterly my fault. Or the fact I woke up with a hard-on and you in my arms. Thank god you don't think I'm just a perv right now. That would ruin any progress I've made. God Kakashi don't you think of anything else but getting in her pants? Ugh. Not that she'd let anyone near her right now anyway. Not after what happened._

"Are you…uh… doing okay?" He asked gingerly. She stopped eating.

"Yeah, I think it will just take a while to get over the dreams. I'm physically fine now, and the scars hopefully won't be too bad."

"Even if they scar permanently, you'll still be the most beautiful woman in the world to me." _Cheesy bastard._

"Y-you're just saying that to be nice." Kakashi turned to face her, his plate now empty.

"Sakura. I'm the one that untied you. I saw you. Even in that state you were and are the most beautiful woman I've ever met." She finished her eggs and toast hurriedly and grabbed their plates to take to the kitchen.

"I mean it Sakura." He called from the bedroom.

"I know. Let's go get those groceries. You're sure it's not too much to ask?"

"No. I'm here, eating the food as well, so I should pitch in."

"Okay." She walked to the door and Kakashi followed.

"Where's your apartment?"

"Literally right above you."

She blushed and turned away from him hurriedly.

 _What the hell?_

Thanks again for reading everyone! Love you all!

Love.

Liz.

(And is now craving toast and eggs. Damn.)


	9. Saturday Night

Chapter 9

Saturday Night is The Loneliest Night of The Week

Thanks for reading everyone! I love all your positive feedback!

It's about to get juicy this chapter. If you don't like the sexy time don't read it.

Rated M for a reason

Thanks y'all.

…

SAKURA

…

 _Oh Lord. So that sex I heard a while back. THAT WAS HIM. OH GOD I MASTURBATED TO HIM WITH ANOTHER WOMAN! OH MY GOOOODDDDD. I'm going to die… You know, you're thinking about it. What if would feel like to be that woman, screaming into the night. I've already got the screaming part down._

Sakura followed Kakashi to his apartment. They walked in and she was surprised at how _different_ everything was to her own apartment. Kakashi's apartment was just decorated enough to be livable, otherwise the space was quite sparse. There were two grey square chairs in the far side of the room, a sofa, a coffee table and a television.

Kakashi was pulling some spare grocery bags out of his closet and was throwing groceries in them.

"Need any help?"

"Just to carry when we go." He pulled all kinds of groceries together and only let Sakura carry a couple bags when they did leave. And they were the two lightest bags.

"I'm not going to break, Kakashi." She said as they entered her apartment.

"Huh?" He looked down at the several bags on each arm he was holding and how she was only holding bread and some veggies in one.

"I really just gave you what I couldn't hold… I didn't think anything of it really…" She rolled her eyes.

"Sure."

…

They unloaded the groceries together and it was such a domestic moment, her heart swelled. _I can see it happening just like this._ She sighed.

"Something the matter?" Sakura shook her head.

"No. I was just thinking how I could get used to this."  
"Me too."

…

KAKASHI

…

They spent that night together. And every night together for the rest of the week. Sakura's parents were badgering her non-stop to move home. And she was starting to cave, much to Kakashi's disdain.

One night he came back to her apartment (he had been just skipping going to his at all at this point except for clothes), and she was packing. _Packing to leave him._

"So you're leaving?"

"They kind of have a point though, Kakashi…"

"I know they do. Will you come back? What about the library? Your apartment?" _What about me?_ He left unasked.

"I hope I'll come back. The library granted me a leave of absence. Tsunade will probably find another tenant." She sighed.

"That'll be the one thing I miss. This place and my friends."

"Will you miss me?" She set a box down and looked at him, one hand on her hip.

"Do you even have to ask? Of course I'll miss you."

"Promise you'll talk to me? I don't want you to move away and stop talking to me."

"I will talk to you Kakashi! Jeez! I'm not moving across the country! Just outside of town a little ways…"

"I know. Just kinda got used to you being here and seeing you all the time." He sighed and sat down on her couch.

"You'll be okay, Kakashi. Hopefully I'll be coming back in no time."

"With how your parents have been…. I have my doubts."

"I promise I'll be back."

…

It's been two months now. Every couple of weeks Sakura came to town to come see him, but she seemed distant and paranoid the entire time and it always grew worse with each trip. The last time they almost never left his apartment the entire weekend she was there. When she wasn't there, when she was back home with her parents she didn't keep her promise to him. Not really. Sakura was working for her parents out there, from early morning til late at night and then she slept. Kakashi couldn't blame her inability to talk, it just hurt when she scoffed at his concern before she left in the first place. He tried not to hold it against her, but it truly felt like she was blowing him off.

[Sakura. We should talk.]

[What's up?]

[Well… I want to be honest with you.]

[?]

[We haven't been talking enough. I barely see you, and when you are here, you aren't really here. When are you going to come back? You haven't mentioned it at all lately.]

[I know. I'm sorry. I really didn't know my parents were going to be such slave drivers. So that's a shitty reason I haven't had time to talk. I know I've been a bit paranoid when I'm out in the city with you, I just can't help it. Being around them all day every day, that concern they have seeps in. They're constantly pouring that drivel down my throat.]

[So why don't you just move back?]

[I did look into it a while back, but I think Tsunade rented out my apartment.] Kakashi knew for a fact that Tsunade had, in fact, not sold out the apartment, but the older woman probably had her reasons for lying.

[Well. I know we've only been dating a few months…. But… you could move in with me. If you wanted. Even if it was temporary while you look for another place.]

[You'd let me move in with you? Do you really want that?]

[HELL YES WOMAN!]

[I'll talk to the parents tomorrow.] _You don't need your parents' permission! JEESUSSS_.

[I also want to ask…]

[?]

[How are the nightmares?]

[They're… better. Not gone. But better. I think if you were here they would be almost completely gone.]

[XD All the more reason for you to come back.]

[I'm working on it OKAY!?]

Kakashi put his phone down. He couldn't help the smile that had broken out across his face. _That's the most she has talked to me the entire time she's been gone. What the hell? I think working on that farm is taking all of her time. She should just come back already, and I guess it sounds like she's going to. She just has to get out of that steely grasp her parents have on her. Oh My God. I just asked her to move in with me. Was that too fast? What if I scare her off? Am I being too clingy?_

…

SAKURA

…

Kakashi was right. Sakura had moved home and gotten into a routine. A routine she hated.

Breakfast with Dad. Listen to his drivel rants about the city.

Work

Lunch with Ma, who rants about Kakashi, as well as the trial of those girls.

Work.

Dinner with BOTH PARENTS RANTING ABOUT EVERYTHING. IT was a daily lecture and Sakura wished she had never left.

Honestly she had been half-assing her end of the bargain. If she had told her parents she wanted some down time to talk to Kakashi, they might have actually given it to her, but she never asked. Her parents had shoved her back into their routine and she was a miracle worker to get them to give her a weekend every couple of weeks, she felt bad asking for any more. If her parents had their way, she wouldn't ever leave the house. When she actually did talk to Kakashi, it wasn't enough. Just snippets here and there. Not even a conversation.

[I just talked to the parents. They aren't happy, but I don't really care what they want. And… right now I just want to be with you…]

[3 Let me start moving my crap around for your things to fit. I'm so glad you're coming back Sakura. :*]

[:* Better be one of those waiting for me when I get there... xoxo]

…

And so she was moving back. It took less time than last move. She had less things she needed to take with her. Mostly a few more expensive items along with her clothes and kitchen items. That was most likely all she would ever need at his place. They did end up keeping some of her furniture as well. _I cannot believe he asked me to move in with him! AGH! A year ago, I was falling all over this guy and now I'm moving in with him! What a change of luck!_

Sakura squealed as she unpacked another shirt. She was happy to finally have someone around again. Her parents didn't count. _After all, I'm not attracted to my parents and they aren't exactly the best company on Saturday nights._ They hadn't been allowing her to go to town, yet her Saturdays were boring and filled with nothingness. Especially the nights.

…

It took just a bit of finagling, but they got all of her stuff into the apartment. It was a long day and Sakura just wanted to sleep. Kakashi agreed and they fell asleep together. That night she had no nightmares.

…

KAKASHI.

…

 _She's finally back. I'm so happy._ Kakashi spent that first night wrapped around Sakura, holding him tight against his chest. And when they woke up he was reluctant to let her go.

"Kakashi… I have to pee." He had since grown used to waking up with boners, but that morning, Kakashi really didn't want to push her away. _She just came back. She needs space, I don't need to scare her off. Don't be a perv, Kakashi._

He had wanted more from the beginning, but of course he likes his sex to be consensual and enjoyable for both parties, so he waited for her. His time would come.

…

TSUNADE

…

A knock at her door drew Tsunade's attention from her paperwork. _I wasn't really expecting visitors, who would be so bold as to bother me this late at night?_

"Who is it?"

"Jiraiya."

"Come in." She shuffled the papers on her desk into a pile and greeted him.

"Tsunade."

"Jiraiya." _Was he here for one of their little get-togethers? I've had a long day, I don't know if I'm up to one of those all-nighters…_

"Tsunade. We know this has been coming for a while… I know it. You know it…" She cut him off.

"So do you want to end it?" He looked taken aback, and his smile began to fade.

"No. Actually I wanted to ask if you'd go out with me, publicly."

"Sure." _What had taken him so damn long!_ Tsunade beckoned him over and he joined her, kneeling on the floor. She kissed him, the man who had been her friend since childhood and had stuck with her ever since. She turned back to her paperwork and he took her hand. She looked at him and he placed a kiss on her hand, before getting up to leave. He sighed and started walking away.

"Something the matter?"

"Not at all," Jiraiya replied, "I'm very glad you didn't decide to just punch me through a wall."

That comment brought a smile to her face and she remembered the first time Jiraiya had asked her to go out with him. She had walloped him so hard, he ran into a tin fence and almost knocked the whole thing down. She heard the door click behind her and knew he had left. _I've never ACTUALLY put him THROUGH the wall though…_

…

SAKURA

…

Moving in with Kakashi was crazy! How did she think she could ever resist him!? _He wants sex, I know… I just… can't. I can be pervy all I want to be in my head… but when it comes right down to it… I just freeze up… It's still too much… still feels too much like I'm in that place._

He woke her up that morning with gentle neck kisses and light fingers tracing circles over her body. It sent goosebumps over her skin, and she wanted to reciprocate, but the act was too close to the awful things that Orochimaru had done to her. _Out of some sick act of revenge. He blamed her for losing his position, for everything that had happened to him, for how he was treated now, for losing his victim in Eiko. He was putting all the blame on her. And all she had done was tell Eiko that she should say something, do something. Apparently that was what caused everything. I was just trying to be a good person. Why did all the worst things happen to the best of people?_

After three attempts ending with her breaking down, crying and apologizing profusely to him, he stopped trying. Sakura hoped he was just giving her space. Maybe he was getting bored, though. Maybe he wanted out, _wanted someone who will actually put out._

"Kakashi." He rolled over and waited.

"Kakashi. Are we… okay?" He rolled back over and snuggled into the blankets.

"We're fine, Sakura."

"Really?"

"What's the matter?" He threw an arm over her waist and snuggled up close to her back. His voice on her neck made her shiver.

"I feel like… maybe you… want out?" Kakashi paused before responding. Sakura felt like she wanted to cry. He kissed her shoulder and a tear ran down her cheek.

"Sakura. I don't want out."

"Then what _do_ you want?" She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with tears. His eyes reflected the sadness she felt. They were soft and caring and Sakura felt like she wanted to stare into them forever.

"I want _you_ , Sakura. I just want you. You need space, I'll give you space. You want me here, I'm here. Just tell me what you want, and I'm here."She sniffed.

"How do you always know just the right words?" Her words were a poor cover for the barely held back sobs. Sakura turned into Kakashi's chest and felt her hot tears soak into his shirt. She tried to fall back asleep. He stroked her hair and they were both asleep within minutes.

…

KAKASHI

…

Trying to be there for her. That was his life mission right now. _She needs support and you're just being an ass._ Kakashi sighed. _I wish this hadn't happened to her. She'll never be the same._ He looked at the sleeping girl in his arms. Her small breakdown had been a week ago, and he'd been careful to keep his distance but to also stay close to her. It was a fine line and he was trying hard.

She looked peaceful and not tortured for once. Kakashi wished she was like this all the time. Sakura stirred and looked up at him.

"Morning." Kakashi kissed her forehead, stroking her hair back from her face.

"Good morning, beautiful." He gave her Eskimo kisses and smiled. _God I love just lying here with her… I think I'm falling. Hard._ Sakura smiled at him and Kakashi squeezed her tighter against him.

"Kak-ashi… I can't… breathe." He loosened his grip immediately and looked at her slightly sheepishly.

"Sorry… you're just so cute." Sakura blushed and smiled.

"So… are you."

"Awww… Sakura-chan, you'll make me blush…" she just giggled and got out of bed to go make some breakfast. _Today was a good day._ He joined her in the kitchen, enjoying the view of her in just a tank top and panties. Kakashi walked up behind her and nibbled her neck, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

"You're very sexy, Sakura-chan. Making breakfast in just a shirt and panties." He breathed in her ear and licked along the back edge of it. He felt the shiver roll down her body, and grinned.

"Kakashi… I'll burn the eggs…"

"I don't mind waiting." Kakashi swept his hands up her body and lightly squeezed her breasts. She swatted his hands away and he laughed.

"Yeah you better wait, Mister."

They ate breakfast together and got ready for their respective work days, he at the bookstore, and she to the library to end her leave of absence. _Too bad we left before we could finish what we started… I really, really wanted her this morning._

…

SAKURA

…

Work took her back with open arms. They all gushed over her and the slight muscles she had begun to grow and stated how much they missed her over and over. Sakura was happy that at least somewhere in the world, everyone loved her. They even had a small pizza party to welcome her back. She was content.

"Sakura… I missed you so much. We're so happy you're back!"

She got back into her routine with ease, and it gave her a sense of security. She was making her own money again, supporting herself. Her whole mood was boosted.

When she got back to the apartment complex and used the key Kakashi had given her, the apartment was empty. It was quiet. For some reason too much quiet bothered her now, so she put on some tunes and decided what to make for dinner that night. _Mm… I'm feeling something a bit spicy. Maybe some curry? It'll be a while before he gets home, so the two hours it takes to make should be a perfect amount of time._

Sakura gathered all the ingredients she planned on using: chicken, curry powder, taco seasoning, cumin, mustard seed, cinnamon, ginger, lemon juice, an onion, carrots, corn, potatoes, and a few other things. She chopped the chicken and onions and threw them in a large pot with some butter. The sizzle of the chicken mixed with her music gave a comforting feeling of being at home in her own skin. She hadn't felt this good in a long time.

The chicken was almost done cooking, after she put in the curry powder and stirred it around for a few minute it was just a process of dumping. She set the pot to boil and walked away. _Might get some reading in while I wait._

Sakura sat in one of the couches filling the living room and opened an Icha-Icha book left on the coffee table. She noticed that the inside cover was signed by Jiraiya. _Holy shit he really did write these. Hot damn._ She had already read the volume, but they were all excellent books to reread over and over. Every ten minutes or so she got up to stir the curry, and soon the apartment was filled with the spicy sweet smell. And it was delicious. About 20 minutes before it was done, she put on two cups of rice to cook and stirred the curry for the last time. _I cannot wait until he gets home. This smells so goooooddd…._

Sakura sat back down on the couch and had gotten absorbed in her book when Kakashi came in the door. She snapped it shut. _Page 98, 98, 98 ,98…_

"Hi, Kakashi!" she smiled brightly at him, and actually felt it for the first time in a long time.

"Hi, Sakura. It smells so goooood in here," he sniffed the air, "curry?"

"You have a good nose. We are."

"Mmm… I've been told it's almost as good as a dog's." He told her, tapping the side of his nose before heading into the kitchen.

She laughed and followed him.

"It should be just about done." Sakura poked a potato in the pot and it fell apart. She put the lid back on and opened the rice. A billowing cloud of steam poured out, and she saw the rice was fluffy. Sakura put a small bit in her mouth and it was delicious.

"All done!" Kakashi smiled, he was practically drooling.

"Thank you for cooking, Sakura. It's really nice of you to do so." He moved to grab a couple of plates from his cupboard, along with silverware for the both of them.

"No problem, honey buns." Kakashi chuckled, and then pouted slightly at her.

"Are my buns really made of honey? I thought they were more like steel." He pinched her butt as he scooped a pile of rice on his plate. They switched places and he poured a generous amount of curry over his rice. Kakashi luckily wasn't looking at her face. It was _very_ red, and her skin had to be at least five degrees warmer in that area over the rest of her body. _I wish I knew what your buns felt like, Kakashi… Now is the perfect time to find out!_

Kakashi was slightly bent over, setting his plate down on the coffee table. Just as Sakura passed him, she slapped his ass. He turned so fast she thought he would spill his food and be angry at her. She hurried to the other side of the table and grinned at him.

"Your verdict?" He asked, a slightly growly undertone creeping through his voice. _If he had done that a couple months ago, it probably would have freaked me out. Now it's sexy. What the hell is happening to me?_ She bit her lip and looked over the sexy man in front of her. He looked like a wolf ready to eat her. And she wouldn't complain if he did.

"Definitely closer to steel, Kakashi… My mistake…" The look in his eyes was animalistic. It did slightly frighten her, reminding her too much of Orochimaru. But she shook her head, Orochimaru had none of the care behind that beastly glare in his eyes. This look was completely different. Orochimaru had just wanted to hurt her. Kakashi's was a lustful glare, challenging her to take him on.

"… but they do make my insides feel like gooey honey…" When she looked up to see his reaction, she was surprised. She was expecting that same look from before. His eyes were instead giant saucers and his mouth gaped slightly. There was even a hint of a blush dusting his cheeks and slowly migrating up his forehead.

"Th-thanks…"

He looked down at his food and started shoveling it in.

She decided to change the subject.

"How is it? Does it taste okay? Not too spicy?"

"It's delicious." He said around a giant bite, spewing a couple flecks of rice. It actually sounded something more like "I-uh ishus." But she knew what he meant. Sakura giggled at his antics. _That looks like something I would do._ Kakashi kissed his fingers to his lips, "Muah, Perfection."

"You are so weird, Kakashi."

"You asked."

…

KAKASHI

…

 _Jeez. And I thought I was being a thirsty pervert! She slapped my ass! Not that it hurt. It was actually kind of sexy… It is good to know she's coming out of her shell. I'd like to hear the sounds she makes coming for me too… Fuck! You're such a fucking pervert, Kakashi. You need like, a built in cold shower._

They finished their meal in silence and he volunteered to clean up. Sakura put away the leftovers in a couple of containers and left Kakashi to finish the dishes. She pulled out her book and started reading. _Probably Icha Icha. Yet another reason we are meant to be together…_

Kakashi dried and put away the last of the dishes before drying off his slightly pruney hands and joining Sakura in the living room. She was sprawled out on the couch, reading. But what caught his attention was the amount of skin showing at her midsection where her shirt rode up, and the damn near constant blush on her cheeks.

"So… Sakura." She lowered her book.

"Yeah?"

"There's going to be an Icha Icha Festival this summer. Wanna go with me? Tickets are sure to sell out soon." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure." She pulled her book back up and picked up where she left off. Kakashi smiled. This was a brand new even this year and Kakashi had no idea what to expect. He did know he'd rather go with Sakura than anyone else though.

"How's the book?"

"Good."  
"Have any… favorite scenes?" She looked at him and waggled her eyebrows.

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Kakashi scooted to sit in front of her.

"I very much would. Please tell me?" He pouted. A slight blush creeped up her face.

"Do I have to?" His lip pushed out further, he initiated puppy dog eyes.

"Pleaseeee?"

"Hmph. Page 34, 51-56, and 97."

"Ehhhh…. Sakuraaa… pleasseee…."

"Elevator, outside at a park and shower." That was enough to suffice him.

"And have you ever thought about _trying_ any of them, Sakura?"

Now her face was as read as a cherry tomato.

"S-someday…" Kakashi leaned his elbows on the couch. He knew he was in deep waters here but there really was no turning back. He traced circles on her exposed tummy.

"Ever… with me, Sakura-channn?" She closed the book and sat up.

"m-maybe. Maybe." Kakashi sighed.

"What if I told you I wanted the same?" She scratched the back of her head and Kakashi took her face in his hands and kissed her. She was shocked a bit at first but gave in. She tangled her hands in his hair and pulled him closer to her. Kakashi pushed his hands under her shirt and relished the feel of her skin on his hands. _Even smoother than I imagined._ He lifted her shirt off and smiled at her small gasp.

"Kakashi..."

Her curves were soft and smooth. Kakashi moved from her mouth to her neck, biting and nibbling gently. She mewled and the sound went straight to his groin. _Ohh…_ He picked her up and kissed her as he carried her to the bedroom. He placed her on his bed, staring at her beautiful body as he took his own clothing off. Kakashi unbuttoned her pants and pulled them down her legs. His excitement grew with every bit of her beautiful pale skin that was revealed to his hungry gaze.

She was wearing red and white striped panties and a white bra with a tiny red bow at her sternum. They were adorable on her, and made him ache for her. She unhooked her bra and slowly pulled the straps down her arms, before allowing the whole thing to droop and she threw it to the corner of the room, causing her breasts to jiggle. Kakashi knew she wanted to cover them, and he was proud of her confidence when she didn't.

 _She's finally beginning to trust me._

It had been over two months since the kidnapping now, but the scars were all still visible. The worst on her thigh where the evil bitches had burned her with cigarettes. The rest of the scars were already starting to fade. Kakashi traced his fingers over her body, kissing each of them and wishing to himself that they had never happened. That he had caused them.

Kakashi knelt in front of her and slowly pulled her damp panties off her legs.

"You are an amazing and beautiful woman, Sakura. Inside and out."

Kakashi kissed his way up her body, her hips, her stomach, her breasts, collarbone, neck, chin and finally her mouth. She groaned into the kiss and pulled him close. Kakashi placed his leg between hers and spread them apart. He gently massaged her breasts, enjoying how her nipples became harder under his palms, like small pebbles. Kakashi traced kisses on her ribcage and slowly moved lower. He was kneeling now and pulled her body closer to the edge of the bed and threw her legs over his shoulder. _I will show you pleasure, Sakura, God knows you deserve it._

"Kakashi… what are you…."

"..Ooh. Ohhh….."

…

SAKURA

…

Kakashi was a good man. _A very good man. Why didn't I let him do this sooner? Why did I ever think he would hurt me for even the slightest second?_ Sakura left her thoughts as Kakashi was pushing her higher and higher and _ohhhh…_ Her thighs shook involuntarily as she found _that one spot_ , and her eyes flutter shut and her mouth gaped in a small 'o'. Sakura writhed on his tongue. _He was so good…._ He had her orgasms coming one after another. She pulled him up and kissed him when she became too sensitive. Sakura kissed him, tasting herself on his mouth.

"Your turn." She rolled him over and got to her knees. _I just hope I can do just as well for you… Kakashi…_ Sakura thought as she took his cock in her hands. He was already hard for her, his skin silky smooth. She gave him a few tentative pumps and heard the slight groan leave Kakashi's throat as she licked up his length. He leaned up on his elbows to watch her. His eyes were filled with lusty fire. Sakura weighed his testicles in her hands, they felt heavy. _So full… I must have been giving him blue balls for so long…._ Her cheeks pinked at the thought of Kakashi cumming for her, on her, inside her… _Maybe not the last part… at least... not yet._

Sakura smiled and met Kakashi's eyes as she took him into her mouth. Kakashi bit his lip as he watched her. _Thank god he likes it…_ She continued her slow, torturingly slow pace. IN a couple of minutes she had him begging.

"Sakura.. Sakura please…" He whined. _Whined._

She just gave him innocent looks. As innocent as they could be with his cock down her throat anyway. Kakashi pushed her off eventually. Pulling her up to his face to kiss her.

" _Enough_ teasing, woman." His voice was dark and heavy, and it made shivers run down Sakura's spine. _Oh you sexy sexy man…._ He half-threw half-pulled her to the middle of the bed. Kakashi laid her on her back and positioned himself. She held onto him as he slowly entered her, filling her up slowly. He kept eye contact with her the entire time, even as he gasped when fully seated inside her, his sharp intake of breath revealing to her one of his slightly-sharper-than-normal canines. Sakura sighed. _What a damn sexy man._

"Moveee, Kakashi. Please fuck me."

"So impatient… now who's whining?" He didn't need any more encouragement. His pace quickened as he thrust against her. Sakura pushed her hips up to meet his and deepened their joining. Kakashi switched his angle slightly and Sakura grated her nails across his back. With each thrust he was hitting her sweet spot. _And judging by the grin on his face, he knows it too._ She moaned as he pounded into her. Kakashi took her hand and helped her rub against her clit as he thrust ever deeper inside her. Sakura felt the tightness inside her grow and was soon falling over the cliff to the abyss of bliss.

Her orgasm made Kakashi's come sooner than he wanted, and he growled, pulling out just before splattering her chest and stomach with his orgasm. There was even a stray bit in her hair. She ran her finger through a mall puddle pooled on her stomach and languidly licked it off her finger.

"Oh my god… that's so hot. Sorry…" Kakashi made a move to get a rag.

"Where are you going?"

"Getting a rag?"

"Oh honey… no need for that. I'll clean this up myself. Besides… I'm not finished with you yet."


	10. She's Funny Like That

Chapter 10

She's Funny That Way

…

THANKS FOR READING!

I love you all so much

This chapter is the second to last!

I know the ending will be a bit abrupt but hey whatever, hope you like it anyway.

….

KAKASHI

…

 _And she hadn't been finished with him… not for several hours._ Everything she did was sexy, everything about her turned him on. _Sakura bending over, Sakura cooking in an apron, Sakura reading smut, Sakura blushing at said smut, pretty much anything involved Sakura._

She and Kakashi developed a routine of sorts, spending their mornings, evenings and weekends together. Kakashi was not a naturally happy person and found himself smiling more often than not.

"Kakashi. What are we doing Friday night?" Sakura asked him from the living room as he cooking their dinner.

"I dunno .What's up?"

"Karin and Sasuke want a double date at the ramen place we told them about."

"Karin and Sasuke huh… who would have thought they'd ever be together, right?"

"No kidding. So are we going?"

"We'll go."

"Great."

…

The date in question came quicker than he had anticipated, and before he knew it, all four to hem were sitting at the ramen place's bar, chatting up a storm.

 _It was getting weird_.

Karin had asked them about work, which was only a little touchy, as people from Kakashi's work had been the ones to kidnap Sakura after all. He and Sakura had said all they had to say about it, talking about good and bad customers, etc. They then asked Karin and Sasuke the same question. They didn't get nearly the response back. All they were rewarded with was a certain amount of blush on both their faces, and that they worked together and that they were in an… intimate business.

Which could mean anything.

Right?

Sakura blushed at their response, her mind obviously going to the gutter. Kakashi vowed to have her spill any beans she might have when they got home.

"So, Sakura. How are you doing?" Karin ventured, twiddling her thumbs awkwardly.

"I'm pretty good…?"

"Well…. I know it's been a while now... but are you doing okay after that whole incident?" Sakura squeezed his hand under the bar and smiled at her friend.

"I'm doing well. Kakashi here has been a saving grace to my mental health."

"That's good to hear. Mark my words, Kakashi. If you _ever_ hurt her…" She gave him an 'I'm-watching-you' look.

"Don't worry," Kakashi responded cheerfully. "I'd sooner castrate myself than hurt her."

"I'll hold you to that, Hatake."

"Duly noted." Sakura's hand moved to his thigh and gave him a quick squeeze. _Thank you._

They finished their respective meals and returned home. Kakashi noticed that Sasuke also came to their building. _Wow, they must be serious…. Already moving in together! I'm glad they turned out to like each other in the end. People need happiness in this world._

If only he knew how much they 'liked' each other.

…

KARIN

…

Their double date was the highlight of Karin's week. _Sakura and Kakashi are so cute together. Maybe Sasuke and I will be that way someday._ Karin gazed at the dark haired man sitting on her couch, his arm draped over her middle. His face was uncharacteristically soft and kind when he was with her. It wasn't often he let anyone see that face, and he made sure she knew it every time. She laid her head on his chest and snuggled into his side.

"What movie do you want to watch?"

"I don't really care."

"Grave of the Fireflies?"

"Never seen it."

"Prepare yourself. Total cry fest."

And it was. Major character death. Starvation. Orphans. War. And yet they still tried to be happy. It was not something she'd ever be able to watch alone. A tear rolled down her cheek. She sniffed.

"Told you it was a tear-jerker." He wiped the tear off her cheek and looked at her with a tender smile on his face. He took her hand and brought it up to his cheek, kissing her wrist.

"You know," he said in a voice just above a whisper, "I've really liked you from the sidelines for so long… It's hard to believe you like me too." Her eyes followed his lips brushing her wrist. Her throat went dry.

"I felt the same way. Why do you think I went to Wendy's so often? Let me tell you, it wasn't for the burgers."

"I don't know…"

"It was for you silly!" Karin laughed and was rewarded with Sasuke's genuine smile. _He's so fucking cute when he smiles… if I could just get him to smile in public, maybe people wouldn't think he was such a jerk._ He leaned down and kissed her, his lips tasted like popcorn, and Karin loved it.

…

SAKURA

…

Before she knew it, it was summer time, and she and Kakashi had been together six months. The time had come for the Icha Icha Festival and Sakura was excited. She and Kakashi had been personally asked by Jiraiya to dress up as his characters in custom made outfits. Who could resist such an offer?

And that's where they were, Sakura in a long dark wig, dressed in a _very_ skimpy outfit, mostly a long piece of thin fabric covering her genitals in the front and back, and a bikini-style top. There wasn't a whole lot to it. It was made to fashion what Jiraiya thought 'female ninja' might wear. And Kakashi? His clothes were practically normal. A shirt, a vest, and pants. Literally could have found something similar in his closet. The only good thing about how little she was wearing was that she would be cool when he got hot.

Well. Two things.

Kakashi's blush.

"Why do _you_ get the practical clothes?" Sakura had grumbled when she saw them.

 _Jiraiya is definitely a closet perv. I wonder if he'll be there._

She and Kakashi were hoping he would be, so they brought a book each to be signed. _Yes they knew where he lived, but what kind of disrespectful person stalks someone for a signature?_

The festival was supposed to start at 10 AM and run all day. It was taking place in a park downtown and Sakura was excited for all the festivities. Before they had even left their apartment, Sakura could smell the scents drifting in through their window.

They had just headed out, walking, as it wasn't too far away and what's the point in driving if they'd spend an hour finding parking?

"Icha Icha must be larger than we thought." Sakura mused, the traffic outside their building, even this far out from the festival, was at an almost complete standstill.

"Well, they wouldn't hold a festival for it if it wasn't, would they?"

"Touché."

The couple were stopped several times by avid fans wanting pictures with them, some also in costume. Once they arrived at the event, Kakashi pulled two lanyards from his vest.

"What are these?" she asked as he hung hers over her neck.

"VIP passes. Courtesy of Jiraiya."

"What do they do?"

"Not sure. Let's ask." Kakashi took her hand and they walked to a help desk off to the side of the entrance.

"Hey there…." Kakashi started talking to the clerk and Sakura took in the atmosphere of the festival. The air was thick with scents of cooking food. It was just like any other festival she'd been to, except less formal and there was a distinct _adult_ undertone. Several of the booths advertised expert sex advice, others about sexual positions found in the book and how you could achieve them, others had adult book series, music, and themed merchandise. And then there were booths that were actually closed tents and any manner of things were going on inside of them. Sakura had only went into the first two of those tents before waiting outside for Kakashi on the several others they went to. She was fine with light stuff, a toy here, a vibrator there, but it was a little too much for her to see giant silicon sex dolls, heavy bondage supplies and other things. _I hope he doesn't buy anything weird and want me to try it._

Sakura did end up buying a few special books only sold at the festival and a beautiful cherry blossom printed fan. She had thought about some sexy black lingerie, but decided against it. _I'm sexy enough without it._ She told herself. There were even public baths set up (though how they managed to do that, Sakura will never know). The place was set up just like a few of the scenes from the first book. _Where there just so happens to be a freaking orgy taking place in a bathhouse. Just a bit unrealistic, don't you think, Jiraiya?_

Sakura left soon after she heard some _very_ questionable sounds coming from one of the rooms off the main bath. She met back up with Kakashi in the lobby.

"How was your bath darling?" Kakashi asked her, his hair dripping from his own bath.

"It was great… ended too soon though."

"How do you mean? You know we can always go back in." Sakura blushed and looked away from him.

"Well… I think some people were acting out that one scene…"

"Did you get to _see_ anything?" He asked in her ear, his voice dark and teasing.

"No!" She lightly punched him. "I didn't."

"Ow…" he said, rubbing his arm, "Sakura… so mean…" Her embarrassment grew.

"S-sorry, Kakashi."

"It's fine, Sakura. Let's go get some dango."

"Perfect."

They spent hours walking around, basking in the atmosphere of fellow fans geeking out at a festival based on their favorite book series. Their VIP passes had come in handy too, getting them a free book and meals. According to the man at the entrance, almost every booth had something for free for VIP pass holders. Another thing? The man said only a handful of them existed, so to be sure and hang on to them.

At one point they found a tent hosting a reading of the books. They stayed as long as they could at that one, only leaving once the arousal was too much for both of them. _This just makes me want him..._ And apparently she wasn't alone. Several couples could be seen around the park making out, or leaving for somewhere a little more… private.

"I have an idea…" Kakashi breathed in her ear and squeezed her rump through the thin fabric of her outfit.

"Mm?"

"How about _we_ reenact our own scene?" Sakura felt herself grow wet just from the thought.

"But where?"

"I know just the place." He took them back to the area with the public baths, but instead around the back side of them. There was a small entrance marked VIP in large letters.

"Sakura-san! Kakashi-san! We've been expecting you!" A man opened the door for them. Inside was a GIANT roman-style bath, with several private rooms lining the halls around the outside. They did not join the main bath.

Why?

It was an _EXACT reenactment of THAT scene_.

And their characters were missing.

"Would you two like to join?" Asked an attendant.

Sakura was too shocked to answer and just stood there with her jaw on the floor.

"Kakashi. I. . . . I…." Kakashi wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest.

"We won't be joining the main activities. One of the private baths please." Sakura uncurled herself from his chest and they followed the attendant.

"Very good sir."

The scene in front of them went on, a mi of bodies, men and women. All were completely nude and partaking in the event, be it a bystander masturbating or actually having sex. There were all kinds of people in there and the sheer amount of _sex_ in the air had Sakura aroused. Kakashi had to pull her away at one point.

"I didn't say the wrong thing… did I?" Kakashi asked her, mild embarrassment in his voice.

"No! No… I definitely don't want to join, it's just seeing so many people, and so lost in such a carnal act… it was very…"

She gulped.

"Arousing?" Kakashi asked as he started stripping in the bath they had been shown. It was obvious he had been turned on as well.

"Yes." He walked over to her and started taking off her clothes. His fingers felt hot on her skin.

"Mm… Kakashi…" He kissed her neck and slid her top off. He threw the offending fabric away and squeezed her breasts in his hands. One hand pinched a nipple while the other slide her 'bottom' off. She could feel his erection on her thigh and her cheeks grew hot. Kakashi licked her ear and bit her neck before turning her around to face him.

"I love you, Sakura." Kakashi tilted her face3 up and kissed her with everything he had. Her fingers tangled in his hair. She licked up and bit his lip before breaking the kiss.

"I love you too, Kakashi."

She took his hand to lead them into the bath. The water was soothing and very warm. There was a large space made to sit on while in the water, and she had him sit there.

"Let me show you how much I love you." _Might as well make it authentic_. Sakura thought as she quoted their favorite of the book series. Kakashi grinned at the reference and she straddled his hips, her wetness rubbing his cock. He bit his lip and his hips bucked against hers. His hands came to her hips to take control, but she pushed them down and gave him a look to stop. Kakashi gulped and Sakura watched his Adam's apple bob. She was grinding on him achingly slow.

"Sakura… please…" she pressed a finger to his bottom lip and watched it plip back in place and she drug it down his chin, neck and chest.

"Shh… baby…" She heard a deep growl escape her lover and knew he was resisting taking her. Sakura rose up on her knees and positioned his cock at her entrance. The water made everything slick and she lowered herself easily onto him. Once she was fully seated, Kakashi started squirming beneath her tight embrace.

"Please…" His hands remained by his sides, but Sakura knew he was itching to use them. She set a slow hard pace, reveling in every face Kakashi made and how his eyes darkened with lust. She soon broke her pace as she scaled her peak. Her thighs slapped at the water, faster and faster paced, taking him with her. As she came, Sakura collapsed on his chest, panting. Kakashi lifted her onto the rocks on the back of the bath, on her stomach and entered her from behind. Her pace had just made him crazy with lust, and now he was ready for more. Sakura moaned at the new angle of penetration and felt herself floating on a high as he pushed into her, thrusting faster than she had allowed while on top. He was relentless and Sakura rode through it all with her mouth in a permanent 'o.', her mind so filled with pleasure she wasn't making any noise but an occasional grunt and the slap of their bodies coming together.

A few minutes later Kakashi's pace sped up and became less regular. Sakura pushed her hips back to meet him, pound for pound. He stiffened and she felt his warm seed fill her up inside. Kakashi collapsed beside her and flipped onto his back.

"I love you so much."

"I love you too."

The two dozed on the rocks for a while, before the sounds of explosions roused them.

Kakashi and Sakura dressed and headed back outside.

"What was that?"

"Fireworks?" They picked up their things and left the bath. Huge starbursts were covering the sky, exploding one after another. Kakashi pulled her close to his side and she laid her head on his chest. The finale was coming up soon and the picture depicted was the cover of the first book, a man chasing a woman.

"How did they?"

"No clue."

…

KAKASHI

…

 _I think I need to become one with my air conditioner... It's so fucking hot._

They had passed into the latest part of the summer, when Konoha Towers got hot and styed hot even though it was cooler in there than outside. Kakashi was sitting in front of the AC, wearing just boxers and fanning himself. He was covered in sweat even with the cold air blowing on him.

"Sakura…." From the other room came a reply.

"Kakashi…"

"Popsicle."

"No."

…

Tsunade invited them over in September and Kakashi was nervous. This was nothing like Sakura's parents, this was his landlady AND Sakura's adoptive grandmother.

"Kakashi!" Sakura yelled from the bathroom. It didn't sound good. He ran to the bathroom and Sakura was sitting in the tub, surround by blood and her tears trailing down her face.

"What's wrong? I'll call an ambulance." She shook her head.

"What? Why not?"

"Just hold me you idiot!" Kakashi dropped to his knees and grabbed a towel from the rack and gave it to her. He hugged her and let her sob into his shoulder.

"I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you. I was pregnant."

"It's okay, Sakura. I'm here. I'm here…" Kakashi held her against his chest and called Tsunade.

"Hey? We're not going to make the dinner tonight. Sorry. We'll reschedule."

Sakura looked up at him and her eyes were filled with pain and tears.

"Are you upset with me?" she sniffed.

"No. No, Sakura. I'm not upset with you. I love you."

"What if I hadn't lost it? What then?"

"We would have made it work. I'll never be upset with you over something like this. Especially since it's half my fault too."

…

Kakashi didn't see her genuinely smile for a long time after that. He spent every waking moment trying his hardest for her. There were days where she was so low, she didn't care to leave the house to go to work.

Those days he would call the library.

"Ino? Sakura's having a rough day today."

"-sigh- Are you ever going to tell me what happened?"

"That's up to her, I'm not at liberty to disclose information without her express permission."

"All right. Just… take care of her okay? We're all worried."  
"I will."

…

The holidays were coming around. Kakashi made plans with Sakura. It seemed she was finally coming out of her dark spell. She went out again. That is…

Until they went Christmas shopping.

And saw all the child clothes and toys.

"I'd be five months along now…"

The holidays still managed to be happy, even if Kakashi felt like they were slightly forced.

New Year's Eve came.

His resolution?

Marry Sakura.

And?

Defeat her depression if possible.

Thanks for reading y'all!

The epilogue will be out in a day or two!

Love you all!

Thanks.

Liz


	11. All of Me

Chapter 11/epilogue

All of Me

And so comes the end!

I hope you all have enjoyed the story. I'll be writing some things hopefully for KS month this year, and maybe starting an ATLA AU KS fic. Who knows!

Love y'all

…

KAKASHI

…

Kakashi waited by a gazebo overlooking a river. In front of him was a small dock with a canoe tied to it. A spring breeze fluttered his hair and blew cherry blossoms into the water. Sakura walked up to the gazebo and took his arm.

"Where are we going, Kakashi?"

"You'll see. It's a surprise."

Leaves and blossoms floated in the breeze as Kakashi untied the canoe and helped Sakura into the vessel. He took the oars and shoved off the dock.

They drifted down the river for a good 20 minutes until they came to a small widening in the river, which created a beautiful little clearing in the canopy of trees above them. The sun glittered on the water, mostly covered with cherry blossoms. In the middle of the clearing was a small island almost entirely taken up by a cherry tree.

Kakashi stopped the canoe at the island and as he tied it up, Sakura got out. Kakashi took her hand and led her to the back half of the island, revealing a perfect picnicking location with lush green grass on a flat area. It would be the ultimate place for a couple to waste the day away.

But Kakashi had other plans.

He dropped to one knee and pulled a small box from his jacket pocket.

"Sakura Haruno." Her hand flew to her mouth as she realized _just_ what he was doing.

"We've had a lot of terrible things happen to us in the time we've been together. And I'm not guaranteeing that we won't face more bad things in the future. But I would like to continue being there for you in the good and the bad. I'd like to continue our life together… with you as my wife. Will you marry me?"

Happy tears escaped her eyes.

"Yes! Oh, Kakashi! Yes I'll marry you!"

Kakashi slid the ring on her finger and pulled her into his arms, spinning her around with enough gusto to lift her feet off the ground. On her face was the widest smile he'd ever seen on her face. And he desperately wanted more of them. A grin grew on his face until it matched hers.

…

SAKURA

…

Wedding planning was easy for them. They each had a couple of friends who wanted in and all the two had to do was show up to appointments and such. Ino took care of Sakura's end, and Kakashi's butlers had his.

The wedding was set to take place in the fall, in a beautiful outdoor meadow that was said to be the most amazing place during the leaf changing season.

Her dress was a beautiful ivory, tight in the bust with a corset type top that flowed to a long silk train embroidered heavily with tiny beads and lace. Sakura had thought it too much, but her friends and mother had thought otherwise and convinced her.

"It's so pretty, and it makes you look like a goddess," Ino had told her.

"Kakashi-san won't be able to keep his hands off you!" Sakura had blushed at that. She hoped her mother wasn't judging her too much. She knew her parents had been a bit uncomfortable with her living with Kakashi in the first place and not being married. They were too traditional for Sakura's tastes.

Her bridesmaids' dresses were a beautiful orange-red, made of satin and were flowy things that made her bridesmaids glow. They were all beautiful.

For flowers they decided to go with irises, cherry blossoms and baby's breath. It was a simple bouquet, but Sakura wasn't the type to care too much for fancy things. _I just want to get it over with and be married already._

…

And her day came. It started early and went late. The highlight of her day? Outside the festivities and all her friends… it was seeing Kakashi's face as she walked down the aisle. He looked like the happiest man she'd ever seen. She could have never seen herself with anyone else. Her father walked her down the aisle and Sakura couldn't help the grin on her face as he gave her to Kakashi.

Their 'priest' ended up being Tsunade. Neither of the two were really religious, so they didn't know any actual priests and didn't belong to any church. Tsunade had just piped up one day saying she had the certification and it was settled.

…

"Sakura Haruno, you've found your way into my very soul, I can't see myself with anyone else, or without you. I promise to always be there for you, to keep things interesting, to hold you and love you until the day I die and into the beyond."

"Kakashi Hatake. You're my most amazing second half. We've already been to hell and back and it's been a wild ride, but it's only the first act. I promise that should we take a second trip, I'll be right there with you. I will be your shoulder to lean on, to be your one and only," she leaned in at this part, "plus I'll definitely keep it interesting…. In bed."

She was rewarded with a very attractive blush.

"Kakashi Hatake. Do you take Sakura Haruno as your wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health til death do you part?"

"I do."

"And do you, Sakura Haruno. Take Kakashi Hatake as your husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?"

"I do."

They slid rings on each other's fingers. Goosebumps ran up Sakura's arms. _I'm a married woman._

"I now pronounce you, husband and wife, you may kiss the bride!"

Kakashi pulled her in close and swept her hair away from her face before leaning in for a beautiful, passionate kiss. Sakura just held on, her other hand full of flowers. Woops from the crowd broke them apart and they turned to their audience, their shit-eating grins akin to those of bank robbers who have just gotten away with it.

…

The reception went late into the night. Dancing, music, food and good company were all shared. Tsunade gave them keys to a new larger apartment further up in the complex, much larger with several more bedrooms.

"For you to fill with grandbabies." She had said. Most of the other gifts they received were small household essentials. Except for one envelope attached to a full set of luggage. The envelope was stuffed and heavy.

Inside was a brochure for Capri, Italy.

Two plane tickets with an all-inclusive stay on the island for a week, along with quite a bit of money.

The envelope didn't have a name on it.

That didn't stop them, they knew it must have been from someone there.

They were going to honeymoon in Italy!

"You guys better get packing, those tickets leave in the morning." Sakura's father approached them afterwards.

"Dad, you guys… you didn't have to…"

"We didn't. At least not alone. Everyone chipped in. We all hope you have a great honeymoon. Now get on home, we'll handle everything here. And we expect babies within a year."

Tears threatened to spill out her eyes.

"Aw… you guys…" The alcohol was making her weepy, and Kakashi held her elbow to keep her upright.

"Let's go home, Sakura."

And they did. A car was waiting for them and they drove back to Konoha Towers. Kakashi ended up packing them up along, as Sakura passed out right when they got home. _Perfect opportunity to slip in a little gift I got her at the festival…_

The next morning they were on a ten hour flight to Rome. Their excitement was palpable, neither had left the country before.

Upon arriving in Rome, a man in a suit awaited them at the airport, holding a sign that read Mr. and Mrs. Hatake. _That's right I'm married. Mrs. Hatake now…_ She played with the ring on her finger and looked at her husband. _I love him so much._

The man escorted them to a vehicle and they were off. The Italian country side was gorgeous. Their ride was only a few hours to the coast. Once there they took a ferry to the island. Sakura's stomach was wary on the boat, but she got used to it.

Upon reaching the island, another escort awaited them. His name was Luigi.

"Hello and welcome to Capri! Let me take you to your hotel, then we have some plans for you!"

"Thanks." They said. _Honestly food and sleep sounds great, I didn't not get enough on the plane._

Their hotel was a giant fancy thing, and Sakura was glad they didn't have to pay for it. The whole place was a regal white with sconces, columns and filigree everywhere. Every room had a balcony and they were awestruck.

Once inside, their room was on the 15th floor. They rode a surprisingly modern elevator up to their floor and found their room. It was a huge suite, everything pristine and clean and white. There was one giant king bed made up with red sheets. The bathroom was overflowing with various towels and soaps. In the suite were two chairs, a table, a television and a small refrigerator.

They left their luggage in the room and rejoined Luigi in the lobby.

"Is everything to your liking?"

"It's excellent!" Sakura gushed.

"I'm very happy the room exceeds your expectations. Right now it's about 6:30 PM. We have a delicious meal prepared for you in our restaurant."

"Kakashi, that sounds great…" He smiled at her and nodded.

"Great, follow me." The man took them back to the elevator and they rode down to the sub lobby. Awaiting them was a large dining area overlooking the rest of the island. There was a small table set for them and the rest of the room was practically empty. Their guide showed them to their table and they sat down. A waiter poured them two glasses of excellent champagne and they were waited on hand and foot. There was no menu, they were just served an excellent four course meal. First a fresh salad, then a delicious pasta, followed by a meat dish that Sakura would later find out was veal. It tasted good at the time but it made her stomach turn later. Lastly they were treated to delicious cannoli.

After their meal, they finally got to sleep. Their bed was amazingly soft and the two slept wonderfully through the night. At about seven in the morning Luigi had reappeared, bright and cheerful. They joined him, hoping for breakfast.

"We'll have breakfast after. WE have to go _now_."

And they did. The two got on a small boat with Luigi and he took them out and around some interesting places just off the island. Through giant rocks with holes through them just large enough for the boat.

One in particular will stay with Sakura forever. The boat pulled into a grotto and as they waited, the water was hit at just the right angel from the sun, and the whole cave was the most beautiful blue. The boat seemed to be consumed by the bright glowing blue of the water. Sakura looked at Kakashi and his face was split in the biggest grin she'd ever seen.

"Sakura this is so cool."

"I KNOW!"

She saw Luigi smile at them. They stared in awe at the water for another 10 minutes before the angle changed and the sun went with it. They left eh grotto and Sakura lazily watched the water as they floated back to the island. The water was so clear she could see all the way to the bottom.

"I can see all the way down… How deep is this water?"

"Ahh… something like 300 feet. Maybe a little less or more."

 _Gulp. Damn that's deep._

Upon getting back to the island, their guide offered more activities for them, but Kakashi declined.

"No thanks, Luigi… maybe later?"

"Of course, sir. I'm available any tie, just have the hotel ring me." He turned and left them alone. Kakashi shut the door to their room and turned to her.

 _"Finally…_ I get some alone time with my wife. Time to do what we came here to do…"

"Oh thank GOD."

The rest of the vacation consisted of one or two activities, endless room service, and copious amounts of sex.

…

They were reluctant to leave, but knew it was time to head back.

"This was really fun, Kakashi."

"I had a lot of fun too, Sakura."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

…

KAKASHI

…

 _Eight and a half months later…._

"Kakashi…"

"Yes darling?"

"I need…" Her voice cut off.

"What? What do you need? What's the matter?"

"I need to go to the hospital. NOW."

"Okay!" Kakashi grabbed their hospital bag and took Sakura's hand. _I hope everything is okay… She's still early…_

Kakashi drove to the hospital in what felt like record time, Sakura squeezing his hand tightly the entire way.

"What are we naming her?" Sakura gasped. Several names had passed between the two, but nothing was solid yet.

"We'll decide once we see her."

…

And 18 hours later, they did. 18 long hours of labor later and they got to meet their beautiful baby girl.

Kiseki Hatake.

She was a beautiful thing with her father's silver hair.

Two years later came their second: Akihiko. A tiny boy with peach colored locks.

Everything was perfect.

The only thing they ever wished for were five more minutes of sleep in the morning.

They had… The Most Beautiful Family in the World.

Fin.

Thanks again for reading you guys!

This is the end.

Thanks for accompanying me on this journey! It was all so much fun to write! (And too just over a month too! Record time for me!)

Thanks for reading.

Liz


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